Hyderabad, India: The limited overs competition dates back to 1975 World Cup in England. The World Cup became a regular since then. In between many more limited overs tournaments were introduced that involved more than 2 One-day playing nations. Benson & Hedges World Series Cup were the first-ever triangular series for 50-vers format.
First-ever Triangular Tournament
The limited overs Tri-Series was introduced to the cricket world with World Series Cricket patronized by Kerry Packer. After that first two tri-series between Australia, West Indies and a World XI team ignited the spark, although these games never got official status. As a result later in the 1990s the world of cricket was flooded with many tri-series tournaments.
Australia started a trend of organizing annual tri-series at home with the two touring countries. Later South Africa and England emulated it. But, while Australia’s effort lasted in 29 years in 2008. England’s tri-series lasted just 5 years and South Africa’s tri-series lasted just 4 years.
Sharjah emerged as the Mecca of limited-overs cricket. Now, it hosted Test matches too between Australia and Pakistan. In 1985, the first-ever triangular series was organised in Sharjah. Later, it emerged as one of the most popular hot-spots for cricket, despite not being on ICC cricket playing nations radar.
With Sharjah emerged the concept of neautral venues and many sponsors jumped in the fray organising many triangular series at neautral venues apart from the venues at test playing nations. Pepsi, Hero Honda, Coca Cola were some of the big brands that sponsored such series.
Started in 1979, Benson & Hedges World Series Cup is the first-ever limited overs triangular series or 50-vers tournament besides the World Cup. It continued till 1996 and was replaced by Carlton and United Series after change in Australian law that prevented ciggarette companies to be sponsors of the team. These tournaments take place every year in Australia between the host and two touring nations. The tournament changed name further to Carlton series, VB Series and then finally Commonwealth Series before being stopped in 2008.
Since then, other nations have picked the format and in almost all cricket-playing nations the limited-overs tournament is being played now.
Australian Tri-Series from 1980-2008
Tri-Series in Sri Lanka
Triangular Series in England
Tri-Series In South Africa
Tri-Series in Pak, West Indies, Zimbabwe and New Zealand
Triangular One-Day Series: Sharjah The New Mecca of Cricket
Triangular One-Day Series: Results at Other Neutral Venues
Leave a Reply