Queensland

The first European settlement in Queensland was a penal colony established at Redcliffe in 1824, which moved to Brisbane the following year. Free settlers first arrived in 1842. The earliest evidence of cricket being played in Queensland is in 1857, two years prior to separation from New South Wales and statehood.

A match between Brisbane and Ipswich was held in 1859 while in 1860 a Toowoomba team played Dalby. By 1862, there were also teams in Warwick, Maryborough, Gayndah, Gympie, Rockhampton and the Lockyer Valley. e.

representative) match was in 1864 when their XXII was beaten by a New South Wales XI. In 1875, Queensland recorded their first victory when their XVIII beat the NSW XI. That victory was a catalyst for the formation of the Queensland Cricket Association in 1876.

Queensland was finally granted first-class status in 1892/93, winning its inaugural first-class match against NSW in that season by 14 runs. Queensland rarely played more than two inter-colonial matches per season from 1892 to 1893, with generally one match (and often both) against New South Wales. The tyranny of distance and non-professional status of the players severely limited opportunities for more first-class competition during this period.

The Sheffield Shield competition started in 1892/93 but Queensland's initial applications for admission were refused. Despite their minimal first-class exposure, Queensland still produced four Australian Test players prior to their Sheffield Shield debut, though none played more than six Tests. The first was the colourful Arthur Coningham who played his only Test in 1895.

Remarkably, he took a wicket with his very first delivery (it was also the first ball of the Test). He also scored Queensland's initial first-class century, 151 against NSW. 1910/11 was a very successful season as Queensland recorded three first-class wins for the first time, beating NSW home and away and Victoria in Melbourne in their only three games of the summer.