Smokers v Non-Smokers

Smokers v Non-Smokers
FormatFirst-class cricket
Matches2
First match15–16 September 1884
Last match17–21 March 1887

Two first-class cricket matches billed as "Smokers v Non-Smokers" were played during the 1880s. Featuring players from Australia and England, each match occurred during a tour of one of those countries by the other's national team. The first match was won by the Non-Smokers, while in the second, which was drawn, the Non-Smokers scored a then-record 803 runs in the first innings.

The first match was played at the end of the Australian tour of England in 1884, and was held at Lord's in aid of the Cricketers' Fund Friendly Society. Eight of the tourists took part; four on each side. The Non-Smokers batted first, and then forced their opponents to follow on, aided by a strong batting performance from George Bonnor. The Smokers, batting twice, only finished thirteen runs ahead, a total which was chased down without the need for the scheduled third day of the contest.

In the second match, held in Australia two and a half years later, the contest once again featured a combination of Australian and English players. Aided by an Arthur Shrewsbury double century, the Non-Smokers set a new record for the highest innings in first-class cricket, accumulating 803 runs. As in the original match, the Smokers had to follow on, and when the match finished as a draw they were still over 300 runs behind.