English cricket team in Australia in 1884–85
# English cricket team in Australia in 1884–85

The England cricket team in Australia in 1884–85 was generally known as Alfred Shaw's XI after its main organiser. The team played 8 first-class matches, including the five matches in the Test series, winning 6 and losing 2.

## Squads

The party comprised 13 players, all of them professionals: Arthur Shrewsbury, Billy Barnes, William Attewell, William Scotton, Wilfred Flowers and Alfred Shaw (all Nottinghamshire); Billy Bates, Joe Hunter, Bobby Peel and George Ulyett (all Yorkshire); Johnny Briggs (Lancashire); Maurice Read (Surrey); and James Lillywhite (Sussex).

Australia's team for the second Test showed eleven changes as a result of the 1884 touring team (who had contested the 1st Test) demanding fifty per cent of the gate money for this match. This ended Jack Blackham's run as a player in each of Australia's first 17 Test matches.

| England | Australia |
| - | - |
| Arthur Shrewsbury(c) Billy Barnes William Attewell William Scotton Wilfred Flowers Alfred Shaw Billy Bates Joe Hunter (wk) Bobby Peel George Ulyett Johnny Briggs Maurice Read James Lillywhite | William Murdoch(c) Alec Bannerman Percy McDonnell Henry Scott Jack Blackham (wk) George Giffen George Bonnor George Palmer Harry Boyle George Alexander William Cooper Sammy Jones Sam Morris Tom Horan (c) Billy Trumble Affie Jarvis (wk) Roland Pope Percy Marr Harry Musgrove Jack Worrall William Bruce William Robertson Hugh Massie (c) Edwin Evans Frank Walters |

## Matches

### First Test

* 12–16 December 1884 (Timeless Test) Scorecard
* England won by 8 wickets Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Umpires: Tom Cole (Aus) and Isaac Fisher (Aus)
* Australia won the toss and elected to bat
* 14 December was taken as a rest day
* 4 balls per over

### Second Test

* 1–5 January 1885 (Timeless Test) Scorecard
* England won by 10 wickets Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Umpires: Edward Elliott (Aus) and James Lillywhite (Eng)
* England won the toss and elected to bat
* 4 January was taken as a rest day
* 4 balls per over

### Third Test

* 20–24 February 1885 (Timeless Test) Scorecard
* Australia won by 6 runs Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Umpires: Edward Elliott (Aus) and John Payne (Aus)
* Australia won the toss and elected to bat
* 22 February was taken as a rest day
* 4 balls per over

### Fourth Test

* 14–17 March 1885 (Timeless Test) Scorecard
* Australia won by 8 wickets Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Umpires: Edward Elliott (Aus) and Patrick McShane (Aus)
* England won the toss and elected to bat
* 15 March was taken as a rest day
* 4 balls per over
* The match was played on two different pitches, with each team having the choice of which pitch to use for their second innings.

### Fifth Test

* 21–25 March 1885 (Timeless Test) Scorecard
* England won by an innings and 98 runs Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Umpires: George Hodges and James Philips (Aus)
* Australia won the toss and elected to bat
* 22 March was taken as a rest day
* 4 balls per over
