The History of Test cricket in the period from 1884 to 1889 was one of English dominance over the Australians. England won every Test series that was played. The period also saw the introduction of the word "Test", a word coined by the Press in 1885, which has remained in common usage ever since. In 1883 England had won the first Ashes series by beating Australia 2-1 away, though they had lost a fourth extra Test played at the end of their Australian tour. However, this last Test proved to be a blip as English dominance remained for the rest of the 1880s. Of the 17 England-Australia Tests played in the period from 1884 to 1889, England won 14, Australia 3, with 2 draws. 1889 saw the first English tour to South Africa. England won both representative matches easily. But, although it was only recognised as a Test nation later, after 13 years, cricket had a third Test-playing team.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Test_cricket_%281884_to_1889%29

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1879: Zulu forces of King Cetshwayo routed British forces at the Battle of Isandlwana. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Isandlwana)

1901: After holding the title Prince of Wales for six decades, King Edward VII became the second oldest man to ascend to the throne in British history. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_VII_of_the_United_Kingdom)

1905: Russian Revolution: Peaceful demonstrators led by Father Gapon were massacred outside the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg on Bloody Sunday. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Sunday_%281905%29)

1973: Roe v. Wade: The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a landmark legal decision on abortion. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_v._Wade)

1980: Andrei Sakharov, a key architect of the Soviet hydrogen bomb and winner of the 1975 Nobel Peace Prize, was arrested in Moscow and exiled to Gorki. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Sakharov)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -- Robert E. Howard (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Robert_E._Howard)