Australian Tri-Series
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The Australian Tri-Series was an annual
one day international A One Day International (ODI) is a form of limited overs cricket, played between two teams with international status, in which each team faces a fixed number of overs, currently 50, with the game lasting up to 9 hours. The Cricket World Cup ...
(ODI)
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...
tournament held in Australia, and contested by Australia and two touring teams. The series was the primary format for international one-day cricket throughout most of the early history of ODI cricket in Australia, staged during the height of the Australian cricket season, in the summer months of December, January and February. The tri-series was first held in 1979–80 and was contested every season until 2007–08. It has since been held only twice since 2007-08, and ODI cricket has since been played as bilateral ODI series against a single touring opponent.


History

The concept of a three-team international series known as a 'tri-series' in cricket originated with the World Series Cricket program sponsored by
Kerry Packer Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer (17 December 1937 – 26 December 2005) was an Australian media tycoon, and was considered one of Australia's most powerful media proprietors of the twentieth century. The Packer family company owned a controlling ...
. Packer was keen to exploit what he saw as strong interest in ODI cricket, and staged long tri-series amongst teams from Australia, West Indies, and The Rest of the World in the 1977–78 and 1978–79 seasons. These tournaments have never been awarded either One Day International or List A status. When the World Series Cricket schism ended in 1979–80, the tri-series format was retained. Throughout its existence, the tournament was held as a series of
One Day International A One Day International (ODI) is a form of limited overs cricket, played between two teams with international status, in which each team faces a fixed number of overs, currently 50, with the game lasting up to 9 hours. The Cricket World Cup ...
s, featuring a round-robin played amongst the three teams, followed by a finals series played between the top two. The most common format over the years was that each team played each other four times in the round-robin, followed by a final decided by a best-of-three series (with the third match played only if necessary), for a total of fourteen or fifteen ODIs played through the summer. The basic format has been unchanged throughout the tri-series' history, but specific details have varied: * From 1980–81 to 1985–86, and in 1998–99, each team played the others five times during the round robin * In 1980–81 and 1981–82, the finals series was best of five * In 1994–95 only, a quadrangular series featuring two touring sides, Australia and Australia A was played; each team played the others twice during the round robin, followed by a best-of-three finals series. Matches played against Australia A are considered List A matches, but not as official One Day Internationals. * In 2004–05 only, each team played the others only three times during the round robin * In 2014–15 only, each team played the others only twice during the round robin with a solitary final Over its duration, the series has taken on several mostly commercial names: * Benson & Hedges World Series Cup (1979–80 to 1987–88) * Benson & Hedges World Series (1988–89 to 1995–96) ** New laws limiting tobacco advertising in Australia forced the name to change after 1995–96 * Carlton and United Series (1996–97 to 1999–2000) * Carlton Series (2000–01) * Victoria Bitter Series (2001–02 to 2005–06, 2015/16 to 2016/17) * Commonwealth Bank Series (2006–07 to 2012–13) * Carlton Mid Series (2013–14 to 2014/15) After the 2007–08 season, the tri-series format was abandoned as a regular fixture. For three seasons (2008–09 until 2010–11), Australia still played ODIs against two touring teams, but these were staged as separate ODI series against a single opponent. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia was still the naming rights sponsor of ODI cricket in Australia during these summers, so all series were still known as the Commonwealth Bank Series during this time. The tri-series format returned in the 2011–12 season, but did not herald a permanent return to the format. A shortened tri-series of only seven matches (six round-robin matches and a final) was played in the 2014–15 season in the lead-up to the 2015 World Cup in Australia.


Results

Played mostly during a strong era for Australian cricket, Australia won twenty of the thirty-one tri-series played up to 2014–15. Australia failed to reach the finals on only three occasions. West Indies, who featured in the series frequently during the 1980s, was the next most successful team, winning six tournaments. Other international teams to win the tri-series were England (twice), India, Pakistan and South Africa (once each).


Tournament results by season


Notable moments in the Australian Tri-Series

* 1979–80 – The match on 27 November 1979 between Australia and
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Great ...
in Sydney was the first official
One Day International A One Day International (ODI) is a form of limited overs cricket, played between two teams with international status, in which each team faces a fixed number of overs, currently 50, with the game lasting up to 9 hours. The Cricket World Cup ...
to be played at night. Like the tri-series concept itself, night matches were a World Series Cricket initiative that was adopted into ODI cricket. For this season, the red ball was used and white pads were worn for matches in Adelaide and Brisbane and Melbourne, and the white ball was used and coloured pads worn for matches in Sydney. * 1979–80 –
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
defeated
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Great ...
by two runs in Sydney when, with the West Indies requiring three runs to win from the final ball of the match, England captain
Mike Brearley John Michael Brearley (born 28 April 1942) is a retired English first-class cricketer who captained Cambridge University, Middlesex, and England. He captained the international side in 31 of his 39 Test matches, winning 18 and losing only 4 ...
pushed all of his fieldsmen, including the wicket-keeper, back to the boundary. ODI rules were changed to incorporate fielding restrictions to prevent any repeat of this incident. * 1980–81 – In the third final, with
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
needing six runs from the final ball to tie the match, Australian captain Greg Chappell ordered his younger brother, Trevor to bowl the ball underarm along the ground. This was one of cricket's most controversial moments of all time. ODI laws were changed so that any ball delivered underarm would be called a no-ball and a dead ball. * 1981–82 – In the final qualifying match, Australia defeated
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Great ...
at Sydney on run-rate after rain ended the match with the last 6.5 overs remaining. The next morning, Melbourne's ''
The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territo ...
'' newspaper alleged the West Indies had deliberately lost the match to ensure Australia qualified for the finals ahead of Pakistan, meaning the Australian Cricket Board would receive $800,000 in extra gate takings. West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, who had withdrawn from the match due to illness, subsequently won a libel action and $100,000 in damages from ''The Age''. * 1982–83 – New Zealand breaks the world record for the highest successful run chase in an ODI, scoring 297–6 to surpass England's 296–5 in
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...
. The record stood until 1992. * 1982–83 – In the second final at
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...
versus Australia, New Zealander Lance Cairns scored the then World record fastest ODI fifty off 21 balls, hitting 6 sixes. This is still currently the fastest 50 in Australian Tri-Series matches. * 1983–84 – The first ever tied One-day International took place in the second final at the MCG between Australia and
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Great ...
, after Carl Rackemann was run out attempting the winning run. * 1984–85 –
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Great ...
were the first team to go through the qualifying round unbeaten by winning all 10 matches. Although they lost the first match v Australia, they came back from behind to win the finals series 2–1. * 1985–86 – After having clinched a finals berth, Australia was defeated by
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
by 206 runs in
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...
after being bowled out for 70. This remains Australia's heaviest defeat by runs in ODI history. * 1985–86 – Australian fast bowler
Bruce Reid Bruce Anthony Reid (born 14 March 1963) is a former Australian international cricketer. A tall left-arm fast-medium bowler, Reid also played domestically for his home state Western Australia. Domestic career Reid played for Western Austral ...
took the first
hat-trick A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three. Origin The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wi ...
in the history of the Australian Tri-series in Sydney versus
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
on 29 January 1986. * 1986–87 – This season was the first time the 4-times Tri-Series champions,
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Great ...
did not make the finals as
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
beat Australia 2–0. Mike Gatting's side also won that season's Ashes Test match series and the Perth Challenge one day tournament. * 1988–89 – The first match of that season's tournament,
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Great ...
v
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
,
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...
, 10 December 1988, was the first one-day international to feature shirts bearing both the team's and player's names. * 1988–89 – In the third final at Sydney, rain stopped play for one hour and 25 minutes with West Indies at 47/2 after 6.4 overs chasing Australia's 4/226 off 38 overs, and West Indies target was revised to 108 off the 18 overs that remained; West Indies won the match (and the competition) with 4.4 overs remaining after
Desmond Haynes Desmond Leo Haynes (born 15 February 1956) is a former Barbadian cricketer and cricket coach who played for the West Indies cricket team between 1978 and 1994. Haynes favoured a more measured approach to batting and scored 7,487 runs in 116 T ...
hit
Steve Waugh Stephen Rodger Waugh (born 2 June 1965) is an Australian former international cricketer and twin brother of cricketer Mark Waugh. A right-handed batsman, he was also a medium-pace bowler. As Australian captain from 1997 to 2004, he led Austral ...
for six. Australian fans loudly booed this unsatisfactory conclusion, and criticism from the media led to the Average Run Rate method being replaced by the
Most Productive Overs method The Most Productive Overs (MPO) method was a mathematical formulation designed to calculate the target score for the team batting second in a limited overs cricket Limited overs cricket, also known as one-day cricket or white ball cricket, is ...
for setting revised targets in interrupted matches. * 1992–93 –
West Indian A West Indian is a native or inhabitant of the West Indies (the Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago). For more than 100 years the words ''West Indian'' specifically described natives of the West Indies, but by 1661 Europeans had begun to use it ...
all-rounder
Phil Simmons Philip Verant Simmons (born 18 April 1963) is a Trinidadian cricket coach and former cricketer who was an all-rounder played as an opening batsman, a medium-fast bowler and a slip fielder. He is the current coach of the West Indies cricket ...
recorded bowling figures of 4/3 from 10 overs against
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
in Sydney. These remain the most economical bowling figures in one-day international history (qualification of 30 balls bowled). * 1995–96 – The first match in the tournament,
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Great ...
v
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...
, 15 December 1995, was the first One Day International that featured numbers and names on the back of player's shirts after they were introduced for that season's
Mercantile Mutual Cup The One-Day Cup, known as the Marsh One-Day Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an Australian domestic List A 50-over limited-overs cricket tournament. It has had many different names, formats and teams since the inaugural 1969-1970 season. Initi ...
tournament. That same season, Michael Bevan famously hit four runs off the last ball of the match to give Australia a hard-fought victory against West Indies on
New Year's Day New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...
. * 1996–97 – Australia misses the finals for the first time since the 1979–80 Series; it is also the first time West Indies finish as Runners-up, with Pakistan winning the series 2 – 0, and not even a power failure in the 2nd final could stop them from winning. * 2000–01 –
Mark Waugh Mark Edward Waugh (born 2 June 1965) is an Australian cricket commentator and former international cricketer, who represented Australia in Test matches from early 1991 to late 2002, after previously making his One Day International (ODI) deb ...
scored 173 runs for Australia against West Indies at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hem ...
, the highest innings total in Australian Tri-Series history. It is also the first finals clash between Australia and West Indies since the 1992–93 season, and the first time Australia has defeated West Indies in the best of 3 finals. * 2001–02 – Australia misses the finals for a third time (ultimately leading to Steve Waugh's dismissal from the Australian one day team), South Africa wins the finals 2–0 over New Zealand. * 2003–04 –
Ajit Agarkar Ajit Bhalchandra Agarkar (born 4 December 1977) is a former Indian cricketer and a commentator. He has represented India in more than 200 international matches in all three formats of the game. He is the third highest wicket-taker for India i ...
recorded bowling figures of 6/42 from 9.3 overs against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It was the first and, to date, only six wicket haul in an Australian Tri-series match. * 2005–06 – In the third final at
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...
, Adam Gilchrist scored the fastest century in Australian Tri-Series history off 67 balls versus
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. * 2006–07 – Despite losing 5–0 to the
Australians Australians, colloquially known as Aussies, are the citizens Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection". Each state determines the con ...
in
the Ashes The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. The term originated in a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, '' The Sporting Times'', immediately after Australia's 1882 victory at The Oval, its first ...
,
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
staged a comeback to win the tri-series against them. * 2011–12 – Daniel Christian became the 31st person, and only the 4th Australian, to take a One Day
hat-trick A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three. Origin The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wi ...
.


Notes and references

* ''Limited Overs International Cricket – The Complete Record'' (1971–1996), Bill Frindall Headline * ''One Day International Cricket – The Ultimate Guide to Limited-Overs Internationals'' compiled by Stephen Samuelson, Ray Mason and David Clark. Feb 1999. Robinson Publishing


External links

{{Commons category, Australian Tri-Series
Commonwealth Bank Series 2012 Schedule



Inside Cricket Australia – Commercial Partners


* ttp://content-aus.cricinfo.com/vbseries/content/story/233331.html A history of the VB Series – Cricinfo Nine's Wide World of Sport International cricket competitions in Australia One Day International cricket competitions