Thursday’s Test in Port Elizabeth will be England’s 500th on foreign soil – behind the numbers are countless tales of triumph, tedium and endless travellingThe first official Test was played between Australia and
England in Melbourne in March 1877, and 143 years later England’s match against
South Africa in Port Elizabeth will be their 500th overseas. The bald statistics are that in that time England have won 29.9% and lost 36.5% of their 499 Tests on foreign soil, compared with 42.2% and 23.4% of 521 at home (though only Australia have won a higher proportion of their away games, while they along with
India and
Pakistan do better at home). But behind the numbers are countless tales of friendship and frustration, of triumph, tedium and endless travelling.
“I remember how Matt Prior and I watched something like 60 DVDs in about three weeks,” said Stuart Broad of the 2008-09 tour of India. “Each day had a pattern, if we weren’t playing a Test. We would train from nine to noon, then we would come back to the hotel for lunch. Afterwards we would watch a film, then we’d watch another. Then we might order up some room service and sit through another film, before finally turning in for bed. It was a good job that was a short trip, as if we’d had to do that for much longer it would have driven us mad.”