Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
While doing some research for this week's Ask The Spider I came across a fair bit of interesting information I'd never given much thought to. Apart from a few bits and pieces here and there (the fact that the first ODI was a 40-eight-ball-over game between Australia and England in 1970/71 because of a washed-out Test; that the 1975, 1979, 1983 and 1987 WC finals were all in their own ways memorable; and the odd few other lesser things) I've never really thought much about pre-1990s ODI cricket - it's something that hasn't interested me.
However, I had a look and found some interesting things:
Hope everyone finds that extract as interesting as I do. Any additions\corrections are of course welcome.
However, I had a look and found some interesting things:
Particularly surprising was that the first 50-over ODI in Pakistan didn't come until 1994/95!The first four days of the MCG Test between Australia and England in 1970/71 had been rained-out, so a limited-overs international was arranged to take place instead of the scheduled fifth day, to appease the public more than a meaningless single day of Test cricket would have. The game was played over 40 eight-ball overs, as opposed to the one-day cricket the English players had been playing domestically for the last 8 seasons which consisted of 60 six-ball overs. This reduced the English standard of 360 deliveries to 320, a foreshadow of the 60-over game being reduced to a 50-over game (unified once the six-ball over became standard) to fit the daylight hours outside the UK.
As a follow-up, England and Australia played the first series - of three matches - to follow the return Test series 1972. This was played over 55 six-ball overs. In 1972/73, New Zealand took the cue and organised a ODI against Pakistan, again following the 40-eight-ball over formula. England played four ODIs (two each against New Zealand and West Indies) in 1973, sticking with the format of the previous two summer, and repeating the trick against India and Pakistan in 1974. To celebrate Australia's overdue recognition of New Zealand as a cricketing power, the Kiwis again organised two ODIs against them to accompany the Test series in 1973/74 (these, curiously, were 35-eight-ball over affairs). England played another one-off game in Australia on their 1974/75 tour, plus two in the ensuing series in New Zealand (the Australian one was 40 overs, the Kiwi ones 35, both with eight balls per over).
Finally, the ODI game was established for good in the English summer of 1975, with a two-week World Cup, involving all the Test-playing teams (England, Australia, West Indies, New Zealand, India and Pakistan) plus a soon-to-be-elevated Sri Lanka team and an assortment of countries making-up East Africa, the first instance of "minnow" teams being involved in the format. Even so, just 27 ODIs were played in between the Cups of 1975 and 1979. The first time the game moved outside Australia, England and New Zealand was when Pakistan arranged a return fixture against the Kiwis, following the Kiwi formula of 35 eight-ball overs. Pakistan kept the Kiwi formula for their three-match series against England in 1977/78. The first time the now standard 50-six-ball over format was used was by West Indies, who hosted a one-off against Pakistan in 1977 and two games against Australia in 1978. A true taste of the future of the ODI game came when Pakistan hosted India (three curious 40-over six-ball over games were played out) in 1978/79. The last of the 40-eight-ball over ODIs were played between Australia and England the same season.
A considerable number of new things happened in the first game after the 1979 World Cup. In 1979/80, Australian cricket was reconciled following Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket, but the Australian board instituted his successful idea of a ODI tri-series, the first being between Australia, England and West Indies. This also saw the first 50-six-ball over ODI cricket in Australia, and the first coloured-clothing and day\night ODI anywhere. However, this tournament was still the only ODI cricket played that season, apart from a one-off on West Indies' tour of New Zealand. This too saw the Kiwis adopt the standard 50-six-ball over format.
England continued to play 55-over ODIs at home in 1980, and in fact kept the format until 1995 (as well as playing the games in white clothing until 1998, with no day\night matches or tri-series until 2000). Elsewhere, the 50-over format instantly became standard, though Pakistan once more played 40-over games against West Indies in 1980/81, and in fact continued to do so until they hosted their first tri-series in 1994/95, whereupon they finally switched to the 50-over orthodoxy. India finally hosted the format (they played 50 overs from the start) in 1981/82, playing England. The game went to Sri Lanka for the first time (these inaugural games were 45-over matches) the same season, as England moved on to the island after their India tour. The 1983 World Cup saw the 60-over game used for the last time, as well as the last Cup in England until 1999. 223 games had been played up to the end of this tournament, spanning more than 12 years; this tally was more than doubled (254) in the next 4 years up the end of the 1987/88 Cup. The explosion in popularity of the short-form game had begun. The return of South Africa and the addition of Zimbabwe to the regularly-playing fold in 1991/92 added the final elements.
Hope everyone finds that extract as interesting as I do. Any additions\corrections are of course welcome.