‘What the hell is this?’ Brave experiment changed cricket forever

By Iain Payten

Though the New Zealanders still reckon Australia were secretly taking it seriously, the first Twenty20 international ever played was not approached by either team as remotely consequential.

The year was 2005 and within a short space of time, both groups would be proven very wrong. But on this warm February night at Eden Park, the mood was hit-and-giggle, with the emphasis on giggle.

“The word circus came to mind,” recalls former Australian paceman Michael Kasprowicz.

“It was seen at the time as a novelty and was billed as a big retro set-up.”

Before a hastily arranged one-day series against Australia, to fill a gap after Sri Lanka had withdrawn from their tour, the 50-over games were preceded by a T20 international. The format had been created a few years earlier in England county cricket and had slowly been taken up around the globe in provincial models. It was popular and there was enthusiasm from the game’s powerbrokers to see it played at the highest level, with elite international stars.

The New Zealand and Australian teams pose in their retro uniforms before the first Twenty20 International in 2005.Credit:Getty

But the format suited to – and arguably requiring – a higher-risk, lower-care attitude, marrying up T20 and the serious business of international cricket was stepping into the unknown.

New Zealand framed the game as a return to the 1980s theme and wore their famous “Beige Brigade” strip. Players wore handlebar moustaches and terry towelling hats, and Hamish Marshall even rocked an afro.

Former All Black Jeff Wilson, who’d played four ODIs for New Zealand as a teenager in 1993 before quitting to play rugby, won a recall, having returned to give cricket another shot.

“We had no idea where T20 cricket was going to go. There was no thought of an IPL or leagues around the world, or even a World Cup,” Wilson told the Herald and the Age.

Chris Cairns and Hamish Marshall sporting a “Beige Brigade” look.Credit:Getty

“In some ways we felt it wasn’t necessarily a one-off, but it would be a rarity. So we went down that beige brigade, throwback mentality. And we changed our looks with facial hair and big haircuts and the beige uniforms.

“But we knew we were in trouble when Australia came out and looked like they meant business.”

Australia’s sober uniform was, in fact, styled on the 1970s bodyshirts but only Kasprowicz got fully into the same spirit, taking 4-29 wearing a headband and gold boots.

“From a player’s point of view, at the start, it was a bit of a “what the hell is this?” – it’s a gimmick and a bit of fun and treating it like that,” Kasprowicz said.

“It was sort of muck around but while it looks like it was a bit of a joke, and a bit of fun, you have pride and ego involved. No one likes getting hit for six, or getting out, so you quickly found everyone was competing as best and as hard as they can. So while it looked like a bit of a circus and came across as a bit of fun, it was the same old deadly serious.”

Former All Black Jeff Wilson bowls as Ricky Ponting backs up.Credit:Getty

Still, Glenn McGrath faked an underarm on the last ball and Ricky Ponting captured the mood of most of the Australian team at the time, saying post-game it was “hard to take it seriously” and believed T20 games were suited to “promotional games” before a 50-over series.

Having played all their cricket for Australia with a readiness to fight to the death for victory, many golden generation figures like Ponting and Adam Gilchrist were early resisters when it came to the T20 international game, given the format required luck and a readiness to gamble your wicket.

But at a pumping Eden Park, those same players helped launch it.

By the end of the Australian innings, the ICC had seen enough to know the T20 format was a sure-fire winner at international level. Confirming its popularity, the almost-capacity crowd was rocking. And by belting a 55-ball 98, Ponting also proved the game’s biggest stars could turn on the heavy hits against quality attacks.

“I have never seen Ricky Ponting hit a ball as far as he hit me,” Wilson laughs. “He almost got it out of Eden Park, over its biggest stand. That’s just ridiculous. It gave you insight when someone is trying to do that, someone can. And now we see it on a regular basis.

“At that time, the one-day game still had a hold of the cricket fan. Cricket was still connected more to the purist than the casual fan.

“But that was the start of it all being flipped on its head. Cricket was looking at ways to try and attract new fans, and speed the game up. I don’t think any of us at the time had the foresight to predict the force it has become now. But absolutely on that one night, you got the sense this is going to something really, really special. And pretty quickly it exploded.”

Glenn McGrath pretends to bowl underarm on the last ball.Credit:Getty

Australia remained stand-offish for a few more years, however, and the state-based T20 competition even saw NSW recruit rugby league player Andrew Johns to play in 2006. It was only when the ICC rushed in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, and a disengaged Australian team lost to Zimbabwe in their first pool game, that the embarrassment forced a reckoning.

The IPL began a year later and the T20 revolution began in earnest, with many of the formerly sceptical Aussies signed up as converted – and handsomely paid – stars. The Big Bash was launched in 2011.

But while a consistent force in the other formats, success hasn’t come as regularly for Australia in T20 internationals. In 170 matches from 2005, Australia have a 51% win record, compared to 55% in ODIs and 61% in Tests in the same timeframe.

Finishing as runners-up to England in the 2010 T20 World Cup was Australia’s best result until last year, when the team turned around poor lead-up form to claim the title, beating New Zealand in the final. On Saturday night, the two teams begin their 2022 T20 World Cup campaigns against each other again at the SCG.

As it was 17 years ago, there’ll be a full house and a raucous atmosphere. But on-field the circus has long since packed up and left town.

Watch the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now.

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