The Sydney Riot of 1879 was one of the earliest riots at an international cricket match. It occurred at the Association Ground, Moore Park (now known as the Sydney Cricket Ground). The game was between a touring English team captained by Lord Harris and the New South Wales Cricket Association led by Dave Gregory. The riot was sparked off by a controversial umpiring decision, when Australian star batsman Billy Murdoch was controversially given out by umpire George Coulthard. It was alleged that betting men in the New South Wales pavilion encouraged Gregory to make a stand and disrupt the game. The immediate aftermath of the riot saw the England team cancel the remaining games due to be played in Sydney. The riot led to a breakdown of goodwill that threatened the immediate future of England-Australia cricket tours. The friction between the cricketing authorities was finally eased when Lord Harris agreed to lead an England representative side at the Oval in London more than a year later.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Riot_of_1879

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1587: Queen Mary I of Scotland was executed at Fotheringhay Castle on suspicion of having been involved in the Babington Plot to murder her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_I_of_Scotland)

1849: The Roman Republic was proclaimed. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Republic_%2819th_century%29)

1904: The Russo-Japanese War began with a surprise torpedo attack by the Japanese on Russian ships near present-day Lüshunkou, China. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Japanese_War)

1971: Trading began in NASDAQ, the world's first electronic stock exchange. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASDAQ)

1979: Colonel Denis Sassou-Nguesso was chosen as the new President of the People’s Republic of the Congo. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Sassou-Nguesso)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

"There are, indeed, two forms of discontent: one laborious, the other indolent and complaining. We respect the man of laborious desire, but let us not suppose that his restlessness is peace, or his ambition meekness. It is because of the special connection of meekness with contentment that it is promised that the meek shall 'inherit the earth.' Neither covetous men, nor the Grave, can inherit anything; they can but consume. Only contentment can possess." -- John Ruskin (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Ruskin)