1 The first test, March 15, 1877
Australia win it by 45 runs in Melbourne. Opening batsman Charlie Bannerman scores test cricket's first century with 165. The winning margin was, remarkably, to be replicated in the 1977 Centenary test on the same ground.
2 The Ashes legend is born, 1882
Cricket's oldest series is named after a mock obituary published in the Sporting Times, after Australia had beaten England on English soil for the first time. Legendary moustached fast bowler Fred Spofforth took 14 for 90 as England, needing 85 to win at The Oval, were bowled out for 77. The obituary claimed English cricket had died, the body was to be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. The next English tour Downunder (1882-83) was described as the battle to regain
the Ashes. On that trip a small urn was presented to the England captain, Ivo Bligh, by a group of Melbourne women, and reputed to contain the ashes of a bail.
3 First defeat for the old guard, 1906
It took 28 years after the first test match for either England or Australia to lose to another country. It happened in Johannesburg in January 1906 and it was a notable victory for South Africa over England. Trailing by 93, South Africa needed 284 to win, and got there with one wicket standing.
4 Test cricket's only double hat trick, 1912
Australian legspinner Jimmy Matthews managed a hat-trick in each South African innings of the match at Manchester. What's more, he took them on the same day, and he took no other wickets in the match. No one has replicated the two in a match feat.
5 Cricket's first whitewash, 1920-21
England were walloped 5-0 on their tour of Australia, the first such result in a series. The Aussies had one of their more powerful combinations; England were in a post-World War I trough.
6 The Don makes his entrance, November 30, 1928
Cricket's greatest batsman, Don Bradman, makes his test debut against England at Brisbane - and it's a flop. He made 18 and 1 batting at No 7, and England romp to a 675-run win. For the first and only time in his career, Bradman is dropped for the second test, is recalled for the third, makes a century and the rest is history.
7 Bodyline begins, December 2, 1932
Cricket's most infamous series starts in Sydney, with England's fast bowlers Harold Larwood and Bill Voce utilising aggressive leg theory, aiming deliveries at the Australian batsmen's bodies, with a cordon of close catchers on the leg side. The plan was overseen by England's captain, Douglas Jardine, to curb Bradman's prodigious runmaking. It worked in a sense. England won the series 4-1, and Bradman averaged "only" 56. English officials, initially delighted at the success,
sent Larwood to Coventry, Jardine never captained England again and the laws were changed. It threatened diplomatic relations between the countries. It remains cricket ugliest, most contentious series.
8 The record win, August 1938
England needed to beat Australia at The Oval in the final test to square the series, and did so with what remains the biggest of all winning margins, an innings and 579 runs. Len Hutton batted over 13 hours in making the then world record score of 364 as England made 903 for seven declared. With Bradman injured and unable to bat, Australia were rolled for 201 and 123.
9 Cricket's final timeless test, Durban, March 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 1939
Remarkable on a couple of counts, played on what must have been a flat-as-a-pancake pitch. It was a match to decide the rubber so no time limit was set. There were five hundreds and one double century amid 1951 runs spread over 10 days - less than 200 a day on average! The denouement came with England needing 696 in the fourth innings. They reached 654 for five at the end of the 10th day, at which point the game was called off as England's ship was raising the anchor and
heading home the next morning.
10 The lowest total, March 28, 1955
New Zealand cricket's darkest day, when they were dismissed for just 26 by England at Eden Park. Bert Sutcliffe made 11. It was all over in 27 overs. Still the worst score in a test innings.
11 Ten out of 10, July 1956
The game's most famous bowling analysis, 19 for 90, belongs to England offspinner Jim Laker. He took nine for 37 in Australia's first innings 84 at Old Trafford, and followed up with 10 for 53 as England won by an innings and 170 runs. England bowled 150.2 overs in that second innings, so consider that Brian Statham, Trevor Bailey and Tony Lock didn't manage a single wicket from around 100 overs collectively. The other wicket? It was the third of Australia's first innings, taken
by left arm spinner Lock.
12 The first tie, December 9-14, 1960
The ultimate all-square finish, as Australia lost their final wicket in the second innings from the final ball of the match. As they chased 233 to beat the West Indies, there were just a few thousand at the Gabba to see the greatest conclusion, with four wickets falling in the last (eight-ball) over from West Indian great Wes Hall, three of them run outs. The last, a side-on direct hit by Joe Solomon, ran out Ian Meckiff. Cue wild scenes of jubilation from the West Indies, who initially
thought they had won the match. It heralded one of the game's most memorable series.
13 South Africa return to the fold, April 18, 1992
After 22 years in the wilderness, due to its Government's apartheid policies, South Africa returned to the test stage. That it happened against the West Indies in Barbados added to the sense of occasion. In their previous 172 tests, South Africa had not played the West Indians, India or Pakistan. The Windies won by 52 runs.
14 Cricket's highest total, August 1997
Sri Lanka's 952 for six against India in Colombo is test cricket's highest total. It took 271 overs. Sanath Jayasuriya made 340, Rohan Mahanama 225 but it was enough to put spectators to sleep.
15 Cronje's arrangement, January 2000
England beat South Africa in the final test of a series South Africa had already won. Better known as the test which fixed the spotlight on match-rigging. Lauded as a bold piece of captaincy at the time, leaving England 249 to win on the final day, South African captain Hansie Cronje admitted receiving 5000 and a leather jacket for helping England win by two wickets.
16 The 400-run man, April 2004
West Indian great Brian Lara had a liking for records. He eclipsed Garry Sobers' test individual record in making 375 against England at Antigua in April 1994. Ten years later he reclaimed the record from Matthew Hayden when he made 400 against England.
17 First test forfeiture, August 2006
England were awarded a test by forfeit at The Oval, after Pakistan, in the box seat, refused to carry on after being accused of tampering with the ball. The International Cricket Council subsequently amended the decision, turning it into a draw two years later, only to overturn its own decision in 2009 and stick with the original umpires' decision to give the win to England.
18 Murali calls it quits with a wicket, Galle, July 2010
Cricket's most successful test wicket-taker bowed out in style, taking his 800th wicket with his final delivery in tests. He set up a 10-wicket win, too. They took him 133 tests and 18 years.
19 Pakistan stung, Lord's August 2010
Bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, together with captain Salman Butt were caught out in a News of the World sting during the test against England, with a middle-man saying no balls could be delivered to order by the pair. They duly were, and all three players subsequently received five-year bans.
20 Tendulkar makes a half century, Centurion, December 2010
When Sachin Tendulkar reached his century against South Africa it was his 50th in tests (pictured), making him the first man to accomplish the feat. He added another two tests later in Cape Town for good measure.
Australia win it by 45 runs in Melbourne. Opening batsman Charlie Bannerman scores test cricket's first century with 165. The winning margin was, remarkably, to be replicated in the 1977 Centenary test on the same ground.
2 The Ashes legend is born, 1882
Cricket's oldest series is named after a mock obituary published in the Sporting Times, after Australia had beaten England on English soil for the first time. Legendary moustached fast bowler Fred Spofforth took 14 for 90 as England, needing 85 to win at The Oval, were bowled out for 77. The obituary claimed English cricket had died, the body was to be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. The next English tour Downunder (1882-83) was described as the battle to regain
the Ashes. On that trip a small urn was presented to the England captain, Ivo Bligh, by a group of Melbourne women, and reputed to contain the ashes of a bail.
3 First defeat for the old guard, 1906
It took 28 years after the first test match for either England or Australia to lose to another country. It happened in Johannesburg in January 1906 and it was a notable victory for South Africa over England. Trailing by 93, South Africa needed 284 to win, and got there with one wicket standing.
4 Test cricket's only double hat trick, 1912
Australian legspinner Jimmy Matthews managed a hat-trick in each South African innings of the match at Manchester. What's more, he took them on the same day, and he took no other wickets in the match. No one has replicated the two in a match feat.
5 Cricket's first whitewash, 1920-21
England were walloped 5-0 on their tour of Australia, the first such result in a series. The Aussies had one of their more powerful combinations; England were in a post-World War I trough.
6 The Don makes his entrance, November 30, 1928
Cricket's greatest batsman, Don Bradman, makes his test debut against England at Brisbane - and it's a flop. He made 18 and 1 batting at No 7, and England romp to a 675-run win. For the first and only time in his career, Bradman is dropped for the second test, is recalled for the third, makes a century and the rest is history.
7 Bodyline begins, December 2, 1932
Cricket's most infamous series starts in Sydney, with England's fast bowlers Harold Larwood and Bill Voce utilising aggressive leg theory, aiming deliveries at the Australian batsmen's bodies, with a cordon of close catchers on the leg side. The plan was overseen by England's captain, Douglas Jardine, to curb Bradman's prodigious runmaking. It worked in a sense. England won the series 4-1, and Bradman averaged "only" 56. English officials, initially delighted at the success,
sent Larwood to Coventry, Jardine never captained England again and the laws were changed. It threatened diplomatic relations between the countries. It remains cricket ugliest, most contentious series.
8 The record win, August 1938
England needed to beat Australia at The Oval in the final test to square the series, and did so with what remains the biggest of all winning margins, an innings and 579 runs. Len Hutton batted over 13 hours in making the then world record score of 364 as England made 903 for seven declared. With Bradman injured and unable to bat, Australia were rolled for 201 and 123.
9 Cricket's final timeless test, Durban, March 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 1939
Remarkable on a couple of counts, played on what must have been a flat-as-a-pancake pitch. It was a match to decide the rubber so no time limit was set. There were five hundreds and one double century amid 1951 runs spread over 10 days - less than 200 a day on average! The denouement came with England needing 696 in the fourth innings. They reached 654 for five at the end of the 10th day, at which point the game was called off as England's ship was raising the anchor and
heading home the next morning.
10 The lowest total, March 28, 1955
New Zealand cricket's darkest day, when they were dismissed for just 26 by England at Eden Park. Bert Sutcliffe made 11. It was all over in 27 overs. Still the worst score in a test innings.
11 Ten out of 10, July 1956
The game's most famous bowling analysis, 19 for 90, belongs to England offspinner Jim Laker. He took nine for 37 in Australia's first innings 84 at Old Trafford, and followed up with 10 for 53 as England won by an innings and 170 runs. England bowled 150.2 overs in that second innings, so consider that Brian Statham, Trevor Bailey and Tony Lock didn't manage a single wicket from around 100 overs collectively. The other wicket? It was the third of Australia's first innings, taken
by left arm spinner Lock.
12 The first tie, December 9-14, 1960
The ultimate all-square finish, as Australia lost their final wicket in the second innings from the final ball of the match. As they chased 233 to beat the West Indies, there were just a few thousand at the Gabba to see the greatest conclusion, with four wickets falling in the last (eight-ball) over from West Indian great Wes Hall, three of them run outs. The last, a side-on direct hit by Joe Solomon, ran out Ian Meckiff. Cue wild scenes of jubilation from the West Indies, who initially
thought they had won the match. It heralded one of the game's most memorable series.
13 South Africa return to the fold, April 18, 1992
After 22 years in the wilderness, due to its Government's apartheid policies, South Africa returned to the test stage. That it happened against the West Indies in Barbados added to the sense of occasion. In their previous 172 tests, South Africa had not played the West Indians, India or Pakistan. The Windies won by 52 runs.
14 Cricket's highest total, August 1997
Sri Lanka's 952 for six against India in Colombo is test cricket's highest total. It took 271 overs. Sanath Jayasuriya made 340, Rohan Mahanama 225 but it was enough to put spectators to sleep.
15 Cronje's arrangement, January 2000
England beat South Africa in the final test of a series South Africa had already won. Better known as the test which fixed the spotlight on match-rigging. Lauded as a bold piece of captaincy at the time, leaving England 249 to win on the final day, South African captain Hansie Cronje admitted receiving 5000 and a leather jacket for helping England win by two wickets.
16 The 400-run man, April 2004
West Indian great Brian Lara had a liking for records. He eclipsed Garry Sobers' test individual record in making 375 against England at Antigua in April 1994. Ten years later he reclaimed the record from Matthew Hayden when he made 400 against England.
17 First test forfeiture, August 2006
England were awarded a test by forfeit at The Oval, after Pakistan, in the box seat, refused to carry on after being accused of tampering with the ball. The International Cricket Council subsequently amended the decision, turning it into a draw two years later, only to overturn its own decision in 2009 and stick with the original umpires' decision to give the win to England.
18 Murali calls it quits with a wicket, Galle, July 2010
Cricket's most successful test wicket-taker bowed out in style, taking his 800th wicket with his final delivery in tests. He set up a 10-wicket win, too. They took him 133 tests and 18 years.
19 Pakistan stung, Lord's August 2010
Bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, together with captain Salman Butt were caught out in a News of the World sting during the test against England, with a middle-man saying no balls could be delivered to order by the pair. They duly were, and all three players subsequently received five-year bans.
20 Tendulkar makes a half century, Centurion, December 2010
When Sachin Tendulkar reached his century against South Africa it was his 50th in tests (pictured), making him the first man to accomplish the feat. He added another two tests later in Cape Town for good measure.
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