English cricket team in Australia and New Zealand in 1881–82

The tour was privately organised by the professional players James Lillywhite, junior, Alfred Shaw and Arthur Shrewsbury.

The tour became the subject of a potential betting scandal after certain English players were implicated in rumours about receiving money to participate in match-fixing.

Whilst this match was designated as a timeless Test, the ship that was due to take the tourists to New Zealand was set to depart on the morning of 4 January.

With rain washing out the entire fourth day's play, this resulted in Test cricket's second ever draw and Australia taking out the series 2–0.

He went on to bemoan his perception that, in Australia, "large sums are betted on matches" but admitted the same was true of England until about fifty years previously.

After paying his respects to "the class of gentlemen of leisure" who run cricket in England, he concluded by saying that "it is worth no man's while to buy or sell a match; and we may trust that the colonial vice (sic) will never take firm root at Lord's or at the Oval".

[9] The affair dragged on for a few weeks and Lord Harris, first among the class of gentlemen of leisure, became involved by writing a letter to The Times in which he demanded "public refutation" of the rumours.

[11] Even so, Shaw was aware that "most extravagant odds" were being offered on Victoria to win and, although he was sceptical about the allegation, he refused to let either Midwinter or Ulyett bowl.

He relied mainly on Ted Peate, who was the match-winner with a return of 6/30, and used four other bowlers in support: himself, Billy Bates, Tom Emmett and Dick Barlow.