Lot Essay
Australia: A. C. Bannerman, H. H. Massie, W. L. Murdoch, G. J. Bonnor, T. Horan, G. Giffen, J. M. M'C. Blackham, T. W. Garrett, H. F. Boyle, S. P. Jones, F. R. Spofforth. England: Barlow, Dr. W. G. Grace, Ulyett, A. P. Lucas, Hon. A. Lyttelton, C. T. Studd, Read, Barnes, A. G. Steel, A. N. Hornby, Peate. Australia won the only Test match of the tour by just 7 runs, scoring 63 and 122 to England's 101 and 77. Although England had seemed likely to win after making 51 for the loss of only 2 wickets in the final innings, "the most legendary collapse in cricket history followed, with England's batsmen unable to get the ball past fieldsmen, Spofforth bowling his back breaks at his spiteful best; Boyle at the other end sustaining an immaculate length; Blackham taking every ball that passed the batsmen only a yard or two behind them. In the intensity of the struggle, one spectator dropped dead, and another gnawed pieces from his umbrella handle with his teeth ... Spofforth bowled his last 11 overs for 2 runs and 4 wickets. This gave him 7 for 44 in the innings and 14 for 90 in the Test match, figures which were not bettered by an Australian in England until Bob Massie took 16 wickets at Lord's in 1972" (Pollard, pp. 98-99). The Ashes legend was born when the Sporting Times published this obituary the following day: "In affectionate remembrance of English cricket which died at the Oval on 29th August 1882, deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances, R.I.P. N.B. The Body Will Be Cremated, And The Ashes Taken To Australia."