World Series Cricket
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World Series Cricket (WSC) was a professional cricket competition from 1977 to 1979, set up by the late Kerry Packer in opposition to the "official" international competition. World Series Cricket drastically changed the nature of cricket, and its influence continues to be felt today.
The series had its genesis through a combination of two main factors - the widespread view that players were not paid sufficient amounts to make a living from cricket, and that Packer wished to secure the exclusive broadcasting rights to Australian cricket, then held by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
After the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) refused, Packer set up his own series, clandestinely signing agreements with both Australian and foreign players, most notably including England captain Tony Greig, Australian captain Greg Chappell and former Australian Captain Ian Chappell. Ian Chappell had particular conflict with ACB board member Sir Donald Bradman. Packer was aided by businessmen John Cornell and Austin Robertson, both of whom were involved with the initial setup and administration of the series.
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[edit] Court case
The ICC invited Packer and three colleagues, including Richie Benaud to Lord's so that he could discuss his plans for a series of games during the 1977-78 series before Australia's home test matches. Packer demanded exclusive television rights but the ACB rejected it as they were happy with their relationship with the Australian Broadcasting Commission.
The ICC decided to treat Packer's scheme with contempt and a month later they decided Packer's matches would not be given first class status and players who had signed up to play for Packer were not eligible to play test match cricket or first class cricket. Packer challenged this ban in the High Court as it implied "restraint of trade". The case began in September 1977 and lasted seven weeks. The cricket authorities counsel said that if the top players deserted traditional cricket then gate receipts would decline. Mr Packer's lawyers stated that the ICC had tried to force the Packer players to break their contracts and to prevent others from joining them.
Justice Slade in his judgement said professional cricketers need to make a living and the ICC should not stand in the way just because their own interests maybe damaged. He said the ICC may have stretched the concept of loyalty too far. Players could not be criticized for entering the contracts in secrecy as the main authorities would deny the players the opportunity to enjoy the advantages offered by WSC.
The decision was a blow to the cricket authorities as they had to pay court costs. County cricket teams were pleased as their players who had signed to play Packer were still eligible to play for them.
[edit] "Supertests"
Shut out of traditional cricket venues, games were organised at alternative venues across Australia including VFL Park in Victoria, Football Park in South Australia, Gloucester Park in Western Australia, and the Sydney Showground in New South Wales, with grounds using "drop-in" pitches. The first WSC game, a "Supertest" featuring an Australian eleven versus the rest of the World, began at VFL Park on December 2 1977. The standard of the cricket was excellent, but at first the public did not pay it great attention. The "official" Test match played in Brisbane at the time, and featuring a considerably weaker Australian team led by the long-retired Bob Simpson, attracted far more spectators.
By the second season there where three teams contesting the "Supertest" series WSC Australians led by Ian Chappell, WSC West Indians led by Clive Lloyd and a World XI, led by Tony Greig. The standard of cricket played in these "Supertests" were according to the players of those matches.
There was a greater emphasis on fast bowling in those games and players such as Dennis Lillee, Imran Khan, Michael Holding and the rest of the West Indies attack all benefited from WSC cricket. To counteract the "fast stuff" batsman felt their bodily protection needed reinforcing. This is where the first helmets where seen in cricket. Initially Dennis Amiss sported a motorcycle helmet and they have developed over the intervening years.
These matches were ruled by the ICC in 1977 to be non-first class, therefore the runs and wickets gained in "Supertests" are not included in players career averages. It could be argued by the players that these matches were better in quality than some First Class matches University matches in England or Bangladesh test matches so far, as most of the world's best players at the time participated in the WSC.
[edit] "Big Boys play at night"
World Series Cricket had a greater emphasis on one-day cricket then in previously in Australia. A one day series, the "International Cup" featuring the WSC Australian, West Indian and World teams started with matches taking place all over the country. The matches experimented with different coloured balls before settling on the white ball.
Matches were played under floodlights and players began to wear coloured clothing. Though the West Indies objected to wearing pink, eventually they settled on wearing maroon. Crowds arrived in droves and the venture began to succeed. On November 28th 1978, a crowd of 50,000 were at the Sydney Cricket Ground to witness the first day/night match at an Australian test ground. (WSC Australians v WSC West Indians.) This was the defining moment of the whole Packer experiment.
The marketing for WSC brought cricket to new heights. They coined the slogan "Big boys play at night" to highlight the advent day/night cricket. Imran Khan famously sported a t-shirt with it on. But their most famous piece of marketing was the "C'mon Aussie C'mon" anthem which featured in advertisements for Channel 9 and was sung by crowds at games up and down the country.
Other innovations for television coverage included microphones being placed at the wicket to fully hear the sound of "leather on willow" and the sound of the players in the middle. Also "Daddles the Duck" an animation which showed a crying duck walking from one end of the screen to the other to signify a batsman who was out without scoring ("out for a duck").
[edit] Other matches
As well as the "Supertest" and the "International Cup", in the first season a series of one and two day matches were played at venues around Australia in towns and cities away from the main centres of population such as Albury, Geelong and Rockhampton. These involved the main three teams. The second season brought the "Cavaliers" a similar concept to the Cavalier teams of the 1960's in England. The team captained by Eddie Barlow was made of recently retired cricketers, such as Rohan Kanhai and David Holford and occasionally young Australians such as Trevor Chappell. The Cavaliers played against the main three teams in more up-country locations such as Wagga Wagga, Kalgoorlie, Lismore and Bendigo. These matches brought cricket to venues that rarely saw big games.
[edit] WSC on the road
In the 1978-79 season World Series Cricket games were played outside of Australia. Before the season began, a three-day game and series of one day games were played in New Zealand featuring a World XI v the WSC Australians. Richard Hadlee was signed up to represent the World XI. After the Australian season the WSC West Indies took on the Australians on their own home soil. Five tests and 12 one day matches took place throughout the Caribbean. This is where the last action of World Series Cricket happened, on April 10th 1979, the final day of a drawn 5th "Supertest" in Antigua (and series 1-1) between the West Indies and Australia.
[edit] The end of WSC
By 1979 both official Test Cricket and Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket were losing money. The Australian Cricket Board finally agreed to sell the cricket rights to broadcast cricket in Australia to Packer's Channel Nine. It allowed Packer, through the PBL company, to dictate the organisation and scheduling of Australian cricket.
[edit] The legacy
World Series Cricket changed the game in many, many ways. Due to the punishing schedule, cricketers had to be fitter than ever before. The West Indies in particular could put their world dominance of cricket during the 1980's due to World Series Cricket. It brought instant replays, a wider variety of camera angles, but most notable was the placement of a camera at each end of the pitch so no matter what end the bowler was running in from, the batsman's shot was always visible - an innovation of Packer himself who insisted he did not want to see "batsmen's bums". Night matches have become very common in most nations, and one-day cricket has become the most widely followed form of the game (though this could be threatened by Twenty20 cricket). Players are full-time professionals, and at least in the larger cricketing nations are very well-paid, mainly through television rights; broadcasters now have a huge say in the running of the game.
However, the traditional form of the game, Test cricket, is still played around the world, and in recent seasons has challenged one-day cricket for the interest of the public. Kerry Packer described his involvement in World Series Cricket as "half-philanthropic".
In the Australian team, there was a division between the players who stayed loyal to the official team and the Packer rebels. Especially between players such as Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh former WSC players and Kim Hughes who stuck with the legitimate side. The division went on into the 1980's. Many of WSC's players fitted back into the official Australian side, though a handful of players from outside WSC remained at the highest level, most notably Allan Border.
The ACB continued to use the name "World Series Cup" to describe the one-day international tournament it held during each summer, usually involving Australia and two other international teams. This format was from WSC's International Cup. The name was used until the late 1990s.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- ACB Website (Now Cricket Australia)
- ABC's cricket page
- Channel 9 and Cricinfo's cricket page
- WSC Supertests Scorecards 1977-78 - Cricket Archive.
- WSC Supertests Scorecards 1978-79 - Cricket Archive
- WSC Australia v WSC West Indies WSC International Cup November 28th 1978 - Cricket Archive
- The World Series: gone but not forgotten - Greg Baum - The Age May 31 2003
