David William Gregory (15 April 1845 – 4 August 1919) was an Australian cricketer. A right-handed batsman, Gregory was the first Australian national cricket captain, leading the side for the first three recognised Test matches between England and Australia in March and April 1877 and January 1879. Gregory was also the captain of the New South Wales team, notably during the Sydney Riot of 1879 when he rebelled against an unpopular decision by Victorian umpire George Coulthard during a game against the touring English team. Gregory was part of a large cricketing family: his father, Edward William Gregory, was a "capable cricketer" with eight sons, five of whom played for New South Wales in international or intercolonial matches between 1861 and 84; in all, twenty of Edward William Gregory's descendants represented New South Wales in cricket and other sports. David William Gregory was a man of striking appearance, he "looked like an Old Testament prophet not long out of training college." Early life, education and career David William Gregory was born on 15 April 1845 at Fairy Meadow, near Wollongong, the son of Edward William Gregory, a bootmaker, and his wife Mary Anne née Smith, who were married on 25 May 1835 at Sydney. He was educated at the St James Model School, Sydney. In 1861, he joined the New South Wales public service, assigned to the Auditor-General's Department. In 1883 he became inspector of public accounts and later paymaster of the Treasury for nine years until he retired. Cricket career His family came to include six other first-class cricketers: his brothers Ned, Charles and Arthur, and his nephews Syd, Charles William and Jack who lived nearby during his early life. (Ned would additionally become a curator of the Sydney Cricket Ground.) He first appeared for New South Wales in 1866, for whom he would play 38 matches until his retirement in early 1883. Averaging a low 14.57 with the bat, including a debut first-ball duck, he managed five half centuries including strong knocks of 85 and 74 at Melbourne and Sydney. Of the former, it was noted that he was a "marvel of patience at first, and then followed a grand display of good, punishing power, combined with a splendid defence". His score was a record at the time for New South Wales, and the match also saw the debut of his brother, Arthur. Despite his low average, however,