Philip Sheridan, one of the Trustees of the Sydney Cricket Ground,
and Major Ben Wardill, secretary of Melbourne Cricket Club, combined to
sponsor this tour of Australia
and to arrange five Test matches. They decided to invite Andrew Stoddart to
lead the tour, given that Dr W.G.Grace had said he would not be going abroad
again.
England won the
first two Test matches and then lost the next two, the abrupt change in
fortune being ascribed to the heat, the rain and too much drinking.However, the team was eventually victorious,
retaining The Ashes with three victories to Australia's two.The series was evenly contested and
exciting, with the series result dependent on the final English innings, when
John Brown scored a rapid 140 aided by Albert Ward's 93 in a partnership that
snatched victory from Australia.
Wisden's Almanack described the tour as the most
successful since Parr's in 1863-64, It also returned a profit of £7000.
Middle-order batsmenJack Brown, Andrew
Stoddart, Bill Brockwell, Francis Ford
Wicket-keeper:Hylton Philipson,
Leslie Gay
Slow bowlers:Walter Humphreys, Johnny
Briggs, Bobby Peel
Fast
bowlers:Tom Richardson, Bill
Lockwood.
Assessments by Felix from The
Australasian,6 April 1895
Briggs,J
La
32
RHBSLA
Did
not shape with the bat as well as on prior occasions and not the Johnnie we
knew of yore at cover
Brockwell,W
Sy
29
RHBRFM
Did
not realise expectations after his splendid season in England.
Complained that the glare affected his sight
Brown,J T
Yo
25
RHB
His
140 [in final Test] will live long in the memory as one of the finest
displays ever seen in Australia
MrF G J Ford
Mx
28
LHBSLA
Far from being a Lohmann or Abel in the slips… made
plain what he might have done if in true form early in the campaign
MrL H Gay
Sm
23
WK
Gay in form is a capital wicketkeeper. He squats like
Mordecai Sherwin, of Notts, and is remarkably quick to the bails.
Humphreys,W A
Sx
45
RHBSRA (lobs)
The slow howler from Sussex, proved a failure, and
it is worth noting that Mr Stoddart was distinctly against his inclusion
Lockwood,W H
Sy
26
RHBRF
Below his home reputation as a bat. In bowling.. did not
perform in the manner expected of him.
MrA C MacLaren
La
23
RHBopener
Fine style and variety of stroke, a favourite with the
public. Masterful display v Victoria
for 228 Rapid and graceful outfield
Peel,R
Yo
37
SLA
Rendered signal service at times but not in the batting form
of former tours. As an all-round man was the best on the side
MrH Philipson
Mx
28
WKvice-captain
Rendered efficient service and, in
standing back to the fast deliveries, he snapped up several batsmen.
Richardson,T
Sy
24
RF
Splendidly sustained stamina. His 6 wickets for
104 were perhaps the best bit of fast bowling ever seen on a good wicket.
MrA E Stoddart
Mx
31
RHBopenercaptain
Throughout he was consistent and sound. Acted
more on the defensive than the Stoddart of old; his change of style may be
ascribed to the responsibility he felt in the post of captain.
Ward,Albert
La
29
RHBopener
Has a perfect style. His 219 for a wind-up [v South
Australia] was a great feather in his cap
John Brown was the last to be chosen when Abel declined a place
Time
between selection and departure from England
xdays
(? August - 21 September
Travel
Tilbury TAdelaide
‘Ophir’
On 21 September the team left Fenchurch Street Station at 11 o'
clock for Tilbury where Mr C.E.Green saw them off on the 'Ophir'.
Philpson travelled overland to Naples
where he joined the ship.
Berthing at Colombo at 6 am, there
was a match against Ceylon
at 10 am on 16 October.
After twelve days' run to Albany,
the 'Ophir' reached Port Adelaide on 30 October for two days of
practice before taking the train to Gawler.
Time
spent in Australia
154 days
(30
October -3 April)
Reinforcements
None.Tom Richardson
missed playing a number of matches
Fixtures/Results
In 1894 the Association Ground was renamed the Sydney Cricket
Ground
•The
first Test match at Sydney
produced a record aggregate of 1514 runs. England
followed-on, but Peel (6-67) bowled England to victory on the
saturated pitch.
•Stoddart's 173 in the second Test at was
the record high Test score for England.
•Stoddart became the first Test captain to
win the toss and invite the opposition to bat.
•Tom Richardson took 6 wickets for 104 in final Test match.
•England scored 298-4 to win the
final Test by six wickets, owing to
Ward and Brown, who put on 210 together
•John Brown's records include the fastest
half-century in Test cricket (28 minutes) and fastest century (95 minutes)
•In the
final tour match at Adelaide England
amassed 609, Ward getting 219, Ford 100, and Brown 101.
Tour
Summary
P
W
L
D
Aban
Test Matches
5
3
2
0
-
Other first-class matches
7
5
2
0
†Minor matches
12
2
0
10
-
All Matches
24
10
4
10
-
Return
to England
AdelaideTPlymouth
‘Ophir’
With the exception of messrs
Ford, Gay and MacLaren, who returned to Melbourne, the remainder of Stoddart’s
team departed from Port Adelaide on the 'Ophir' on 3 April 1895. Jim
Phillips who accompanied the team as umpire also sailed by the Ophir.
They left Port
Said on 28 April and reached Plymouth on 8 May 1895.
Ford intended to visit Japan, while Gay and Maclaren would return to London by a later
steamer.
Time
away from England
229 days
(21
September - 8 May)
Finances
From a financial point of view the trip exceeded expectations.
Income was £18 000, expenses £11000.
The Melbourne club benefitted by £3,300 and the
trustees of the Sydney Cricket Ground by £550.
Accounts
of the tour
"My Dear Victorious Stod"by David Frith includes chapters on the
tour
“Stoddy’s
Mission”by
David Frith (Queen Anne Press, 1995)