All hell broke loose at what became known as the SCG when a couple of thousand people, including a teenage Banjo Paterson, stormed the pitchTest cricket gets described as a gentleman’s game but this is a lie. Rashes of gentility break out here and there but it’s still a game birthed by rascals, popularised by crooks and sustained by the patronage of louts. This story is one of the finest examples, just after the third Test ever played. It was Melbourne 1879 when Fred Spofforth lived up to his nickname of “The Demon”: he rissoled England with 6 for 48 in the first innings and 7 for 62 in the second, taking the first Test hat-trick along the way. In a timeless match, Australia won in three days.Notionally amateurs, the tourists were there to make bank from gate receipts at as many games as possible. In true English everyman style they were led by a captain named Lord Harris. After Melbourne they headed to Sydney to play twice against New South Wales. The state team also had Spofforth and won the first game easily, so before the second match the punters backed them off the map. The old Association Ground, which would later become the SCG, packed in 10,000 people. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/nov/12/ashes-test-cricket-rivalry-1897-sydney-riot">Continue reading...</a>

شهد شغب سيدني عام 1879 في ملعب SCG تدفق آلاف الأشخاص، بما في ذلك الشاب بانجو باترسون، إلى الملعب خلال مباراة اختبار. جاء هذا الحدث بعد أداء ملحوظ من فريد سبوفورث، الذي حقق أول هاتريك في اختبار، مما أدى إلى فوز أستراليا على إنجلترا في ثلاثة أيام فقط. شكل الشغب لحظة مهمة في تاريخ الكريكيت، مما يبرز الطبيعة الفوضوية للرياضة على الرغم من سمعتها كرياضة للرجال النبلاء.

El disturbio de Sydney de 1879 en el SCG involucró a miles de personas, incluido un joven Banjo Paterson, que invadieron el campo durante un partido de Test. Este evento siguió a una actuación notable de Fred Spofforth, quien logró el primer hat-trick en un Test, llevando a Australia a la victoria sobre Inglaterra en solo tres días. El disturbio marcó un momento significativo en la historia del cricket, destacando la naturaleza desordenada del deporte a pesar de su reputación como un juego de caballeros.

La révolte de Sydney en 1879 au SCG a vu des milliers de personnes, dont un jeune Banjo Paterson, envahir le terrain lors d'un match de Test. Cet événement a suivi une performance remarquable de Fred Spofforth, qui a réalisé le premier hat-trick de Test, menant l'Australie à la victoire contre l'Angleterre en seulement trois jours. La révolte a marqué un moment significatif dans l'histoire du cricket, soulignant la nature indisciplinée du sport malgré sa réputation de jeu d'hommes distingués.

The 1879 Sydney riot at the SCG involved thousands, including a young Banjo Paterson, storming the pitch during a Test match. This event followed a remarkable performance by Fred Spofforth, who took the first Test hat-trick, leading Australia to victory over England in just three days. The riot marked a significant moment in cricket history, highlighting the sport's unruly nature despite its reputation as a gentleman's game.

The remarkable story of the 1879 Sydney riot that set the tone for 150 years of Ashes rivalry

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