On the 20th August 1931 Australian test cricketer number 1 Charles Bannerman passed way at the age of 80.
Bannerman faced the first ball bowled in test cricket on 15 March 1877 at the MCG and went on to score 165 before retiring hurt with a broken finger in Australia’s first inning of 245.
Australia had won the toss and elected to bat and after being bowled out in their first innings they dismissed England for 196. Australia was bowled out for 104 in their 2nd innings with Bannerman scoring only 4 and England needed 153 runs to win. Australia bowled England out for 108 and Australia was the test match by 45 runs.
Bannerman played 3 test matches for Australia scoring 239 runs at an average of 59.75.
He played first class cricket for NSW and in 44 first class matches he scored 1,687 runs at an average of 21.62 including one century and nine half centuries.
Bannerman retired from first class cricket in 1888 and went on to become an umpire and umpired in 12 tests matches.