Australian cricket team in England and North America in 1878

From May to September in 1878, an Australian cricket team made the inaugural first-class tour of England by a representative overseas side.

Conway was a journalist from Geelong, Victoria while Gregory and Gibbes were both Sydney-based accountants working for the New South Wales Public Service.

They and the players each contributed the sum of £50 to finance the expedition and later shared equally in the handsome profits that their enterprise generated, having carted the match takings around with them in a closely guarded strong-box all the time that they were away.

Gregory demonstrated excellent leadership and tactical skills throughout the long tour, while Fred Spofforth became the star performer of the team.

[5] Conway negotiated with Dave Gregory who had captained the "Combined XI from Sydney and Melbourne" against Lillywhite's professionals in what latterly became recognised as the first two Test matches.

[6] It was agreed that the players would form a private company by contributing £50 each to cover expenses, profits to be shared accordingly although Conway as manager would take 7.5% of gross proceeds.

They then traveled across America by train, a potentially hazardous undertaking in the era of the James–Younger Gang and others, though Frank and Jesse James were still in hiding after the abortive Northfield Raid in 1876.

They arrived in New York over a week later and went on to Philadelphia where they played the Philadelphian cricket team on 3–5 October at the Germantown Ground.

The tourists played five other games, all minor fixtures, in Hoboken, Toronto, Montreal, St Louis and San Francisco.

They sailed from San Francisco on 28 October in the SS City of New York, arriving in Sydney on 25 November after being away for almost eight months.

Ancillary note: In San Francisco, the Australian team had played a California XXII side composed of members from the Occidental and Oakland Cricket Clubs.

[50] Meanwhile, back in England, the Graces endured months of controversy about the payments they received as supposed amateurs, much of which had come to light as a result of the Midwinter affair.