Exactly on this day 45 years ago, Australia and West Indies took part in a historic day/night ODI match at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney. The match was a part of the Benson & Hedges World Tri-Nations series featuring the host Australia along with West Indies and England.

The clash between Australia and West Indies was the inaugural match of the tri-series which was played in coloured clothing and with a white leather ball. That day marked a new chapter in the history of ODI cricket since its inception in 1971. 

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Australia triumphed in the opening encounter of the Benson & Hedges Tri-series

In a first, the opening match of the tournament was played under floodlights attracting an enormous number of spectators to the stadium. After winning the toss, Australian captain Greg Chappell inserted West Indies to have a bat first.

Alvin Kallicharran top-scored for the Windies but missed out on his well-deserved half-century by one run. The Australian pace attack was led by Dennis Lillee and Len Pascoe who accounted for six dismissals while Allan Border finished with sublime figures of 3-36 to restrict West Indies to 193. 

The Australian skipper led from the front and constructed a well-compiled score of 74 (100) and Kim Hughes added a superb 52 (60) to help Australia chase down the target by five wickets with 17 balls to spare. 

Despite the defeat in the series opener, West Indies managed to reach the final where they faced England in a two-match final series. They won both the matches by 2-0 in the final to clinch the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup title. 

Further advancements 

In 1979, when the ICC and World Series Cricket came to an understanding, the first floodlit One Day International was introduced, starting from the tri-series in Australia. 

Further on, the influence of Floodlit cricket slowly spread to other parts of the world, although England was slow to take it up due to their climate. However, the Floodlit system made its first major breakthrough when it was first officially used in a first-class Sheffield Shield game in 1994 in Australia.

Australia’s renowned opening batsman, David Warner, who recently bid farewell to Test and ODI cricket, is gearing up to showcase his skills in various T20 leagues across the globe. On January 12, Friday, Warner made a spectacular entrance at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), arriving in a helicopter to participate in the Big Bash League (BBL) match against the Sydney Sixers.

Prior to his grand arrival, Warner had been in the Hunter region, where he had been celebrating his brother’s wedding. The video capturing Warner’s helicopter landing at the iconic SCG has created quite a buzz among fans and cricket enthusiasts.

After his stint in the BBL, Warner is set to play three matches before heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to join the Dubai Capitals in the Indian League T20 (ILT20). This move marks Warner’s continued commitment to T20 cricket on the global stage.

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Adding a touch of humor to the event, Warner’s teammate Sean Abbott jokingly remarked that Warner is a bit “Hollywood,” emphasizing his flamboyant entrance. Abbott revealed his plan to welcome Warner in a unique way by riding out on his lime bike as Warner arrives, expressing his excitement to compete against one of the best players globally who has maintained his prowess for an extended period in the cricketing arena.

Australia are hosting their first T20 World Cup. They have a wonderful set of grounds, and some of them are among the most aesthetically pleasing in the World. With big boundaries, and interesting characteristics, each ground has its own variety to offer.

Melbourne Cricket Ground

The MCG has seven matches in the main draw of the T20 World Cup. It is also hosting the Finals, and is known for its huge boundaries and the ability to hold a crowd of over a 100000 people. While the boundaries are among the biggest in Australia, Melbourne is also seen as one of the best batting tracks in the country. It has a very fast outfield, and a flat pitch. With an average run-rate of 8.30, Melbourne is easily the best for batting.

The straight boundaries are a touch shorter, and running between the wickets plays a big role with big gaps on offer at the boundaries. For spinners, the boundary size is encouraging as it allows them to flight the ball more, helping them extract spin better. With a few days to go, Melbourne will be in full tilt on the 23rd as it hosts marquee event with India taking on Pakistan.

Sydney Cricket Ground

The Sydney Cricket Ground is another one with really big boundaries. Batting here is pretty good as well, but the pitch is a bit drier than what may be found in Melbourne. Historically, Sydney is known to help spinners a little more while. Fast bowlers too get some help with the new-ball, indicating that Sydney is a good ground for bowlers, and should give an even contest between bat and ball.

Adelaide Oval

Adelaide’s straight boundary is probably the biggest in Australia. The numbers for spinners are not so great but are also not too bad. Ideally, it is a good ground for batters, and with short square boundaries, spinners are often forced to bowl fuller and do not get to be as flexible, unless they are really brave. Games in Adelaide are generally high-scoring, despite overall numbers not suggesting so.

Perth Stadium

The new stadium at Perth has not hosted much international cricket with Covid restricting border movement. Overall, six T20Is have taken place int he stadium. While the boundaries are pretty big, the nature of the pitch remains a question. Over time, there has been bounce, pace and turn seen on the track. The square boundaries are big, helping bowlers bowl short, and again letting spinners experiment a little more. Pace on the track does help the batters too. While the pitch is not as fast as the old WACA track, there is still quite a bit of life in the track. With a fast outfield as well, there is a lot of value for shots played.

The Gabba, Brisbane Cricket Ground

The Gabba is one of Australia’s most famous grounds traditionally and is known for having one of the fastest pitches in the World. Scoring at the Gabba in T20 Cricket is a little tougher when compared to other Australian grounds. There boundary percentage is quite low with long square boundaries. Running between the wickets though is pretty important, and that is a reason why the overall run-rate is pretty good at the Gabba. While the Gabba is one of the fastest tracks, pace in T20 Cricket is easier to play than spin while playing there. Batting overall is easy, but running between the wickets is an important factor.

Bellerive Oval, Hobart

Hobart has nine games in the T20 World Cup. It is a minefield for wrist-spinners, who absolutely struggle there. The boundaries are very small, and with a breeze constantly flowing through the ground, run scoring is very easy, when compared to other Australian grounds.

Simonds Stadium, Geelong

Geelong has not hosted much international cricket in recent years. It is the main ground though for the upcoming T20 World Cup’s first round. Like Hobart, the boundaries are small and there are some strange dimensions throughout the ground.