W. G. Grace them against Australia, and was an automatic selection for England at home, but his only Test-playing tour of Australia was that of 1891–92. Grace's most significant Test was England v Australia in 1882 at The Oval. Thanks to Spofforth who took 14 wickets in the match, Australia won by 7 runs and the legend of The Ashes was born immediately afterwards. Grace scored only 4 and 32 but he has been held responsible for "firing up" Spofforth. This came about through a typical piece of gamesmanship by Grace when he effected an unsporting, albeit legal, run out of Sammy Jones.
Australian cricket team in England in 1882 the second. England had reached 15 when Spofforth clean bowled England captain Albert Hornby for 9. He removed Dick Barlow also clean bowled the very next ball to find himself on a hat trick. W G Grace and George Ulyett then put together a partnership of 36 before Spofforth had Ulyett caught behind for 11. Grace fell two runs later, caught by Bannerman off the bowling of Harry Boyle for 32. England were stuttering at 53 for 4, still needing 31 more for victory. A sluggish 12 off 55 balls from wicket-keeper Alfred Lyttelton took England on to 66 for