First Ever ODI Match in Cricket History Highlights

Watch & read the highlights article of First Ever ODI Match in Cricket History - England tour of Australia One & Only One-day International match played between England and Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne in 05th January 1971.

This modified Article reference from ( T.S.M.H ) by Author Phil Wilkins

The Test caps stayed on, but Australia shed the customary Test trappings more adroitly than England to win the $5,000 Rothman International Knockout cricket match in 1971

Australia vs England first ever ODI in cricket history

First ever one day international cricket match played between England and Australia at Melbourne in 05th January 1971.

Australia won in relatively easy fashion, chasing target of 191 for 5 wickets in 34.6 overs, after bowling out England All-out for 190 in 39.4 overs, which was 8-balls-over match.

The enthusiastic crowd of 46,000 left the Melbourne Cricket Ground well satisfied with one-day international cricket match, but it would have been much more exciting had England forgotten they were professionals and remembered that they were cricketers.

Even in this first ever one day international match, 40-overs a side game, a match which is almost old hat to the Englishmen, they lacked the nerve to set Australia a formidable total.

Opening batsman John Edrich made 82 off 119 deliveries in 150 minutes including four fabulous fours, John Edrich - who became the first player to earned the man of the match award in one day cricket history.

John Edrich - who was the first batsman to scored a half century (fifty) in one day cricket history, He was Awarded of $200 from visiting English Test Umpire Charlie Elliott.

Elliott summed it up succinctly at the presentation when he said : "If it had not been for John Edrich, it would not have been a match at all".

From the fourth Test point of view, the innings of 41 by Doug Walters was the most pleasing feature of the day for Australia, He hit six glorious boundaries and looked the Walters of Old.

The teams were called "Australia" and "England" following a meeting, Presided over by the chairman of the Australia Board of Control, Sir Donald Bradman, and the president of the MCC, Sir Cyrill Hawker.

England last 7 wickets in 46-runs

Bill Lawry won the toss and sent England in to bat on a harmless wicket, mottled and yellow from many days beneath the rain covers.

When the Australian captain flung himself beneath an incredible catch at short square leg from a powerful Geoff Boycott hook, He seemed to knock all the wind out of the tourists.

England lost their last seven wickets for 46 runs in less than an hour and sadly it was not due to wild and woolly hitting.

Boycott scored 8, John Hampshire scored 10 and Basil d'Oliveira added 17 runs have all thrown their weight around at times, but they went cheaply due to Australia's superb fielding.

Fresh from his Hobart century in 98 minutes, Hampshire attempted a rapid massacre of off-spinner Ashley Mallett, only to be caught on the gallop by Graham McKenzie at long on.

Ian Chappell ended any thoughts d'Oliveira might have had of roughing up the Australians, with an outstanding cut off and return for a run out.

Keith Stackpole twisted his left knee just after lunch and was about to leave the field when he dismissed Colin Cowdrey (1).

Anyone who believes the tourists are now competent against leg-spin should have seen them in action against Stackpole, who took three wickets.

Ashley Mallett Stars

Ashley Mallett bowled well, He also took three wickets and was accurate and flighted the ball aggressively, of the other pace bowlers.

Alan Thomson was more hostile than Alan Connolly, although neither did much to cause the Englishmen any trepidation for next Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground that time.

Australia sailed into England's bowlers from the start, Stackpole (13) slamming Ken Shuttleworth for two fine boundaries in his second over.

Bill Lawry scored 27 off 49 deliveries continued the policy, but Doug Walters was the other batsman who gave Australia a lift at the right time, In one magnificent burst he went from 4 to 28 runs with six boundaries, his 41 in 59 minutes with 6 terrific fours was the batting highlight of the match.

Ian Chappell top scorer for Australia in the first ever one day international cricket against England at MCG in 1971 (The Age)

Ian Chappell cut loose and in six minutes went 38 to 59, He banged illingworth over the long on fence for six and cracked 17 runs off an over from Basil d'Oliveira, Ian Chappell scored a scintillating 60 off 103 deliveries including five fabulous fours and one six.

Ian Chappell was scratchy for a while, but he hit a splendid six into the crowd at long-on, and was timing the ball well at the end.

Ian Chappell went on to reach 60 in 132 minutes before falling to a brilliant piece of work by Ray Illingworth and Keeper Alan Knott. Illingworth saw Chappell move down the pitch, so directed the ball wide of the leg stump, Knott was waiting and, before Chappell could regain his crease, had the bails off.

Australia's Rodney Marsh plays the winning shot with a boundary (The Age)

Greg Chappell scored a unbeaten 22 not out and Rodney Marsh 10 not out batted judicious to bring up the winning runs with a boundary, Australia won by 5 wickets with more than five overs to spare.

More Needed

There is little doubt that the public will demanded a match of this kind at atleast once a season, and especially when an international team is touring Australia.

After the Match, Australian captain Bill Lawry said : "There is a place in big cricket for this type of game, so long as it is played at top level"

What the crowd loved was to see players straining their utmost when bowling, fielding and batting.

Because of this the game had no flat sports which have been so much part and parcel of big cricket for far too long.

Batsmen attempted things they would never dare do in Test matches, such as stealing sharp singles in a way that made running between the wickets an exciting part of the game.

                   

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