Horan and Kelly - Australian Irish born Test Cricketers

Thomas Horan is Australian Test Cricketer No 8 and Thomas Kelly is Australian Test Cricketer No 12.

Horan made his Test debut in the first Test match Australia v England on 15 March 1877 and Kelly made his Test debut against England in the 2^nd Test on 31 March 1877.

Thomas Horan and Thomas Kelly are the only two players born in Ireland to play Test cricket for Australia.

Thomas Patrick Horan was born 8 March 1854 in Midleton County Cork.

Horan immigrated to Australia as a young boy and played first class cricket for Victoria and was an aggressive middle order batsman.

Horan was dropped after the first Test and interestingly his place in the team was taken by Thomas Kelly. Horan toured England in 1882 and played in the famed Test at the Oval when Australia won its first Test on English soil and the Ashes was born.

In 15 Tests for Australia Horan scored 471 runs at an average of 18.84. He scored one century and one half century. His highest score was 124.

Horan played 106 first class games and scored 4,027 runs at an average of 23.27. He hit 8 centuries and 12 half centuries. His highest score in first class cricket was 141.

In 1879 Thomas Horan began writing a weekly newspaper column and did so until he passed away in 1916. Horan was the first cricket writer who played the game at the highest level and paved the way for future player to start a career in the media. His pen name was ‘Felix’

Australian Cricket team 1877-78

Australian Cricket team 1882

Thomas Joseph Dart Kelly was born 3 May 1844 in Waterford. He passed away 20 July 1893.

Kelly immigrated to Australia when he was 19 and first played cricket for Victoria in 1863 and played 16 first class games scoring 543 runs at an average of 20.11. He scored 5 half centuries with a top score of 86.

In his two Test matches for Australia he scored 64 runs with a top score of 35. He made his Test debut for Australia at the age of 33.