Test cricket is the ultimate sporting event, perhaps the longest running game in the sports arena. We all watch test series taking place among different teams but if someone asks what are the trophy names of these competitions, one will not be able to name them all.
Being a cricket fan, it is more than trivial knowlege to know about the series names. There is almost name of every series, this the the official name which is referred by international cricket council. However, in casual wording, broadcasters use names such “India tour of Australia”, England tour of South Africa”, because that has been in trend for a long time.
What is the Importance of Having Test Trophy Names?
Substance, authority, history, cricketing heroes, everything plays a part in naming a cricket series. Most of the test series names are nomenclature of past age cricketing heroes. It can be said that this is how birth of rivalry starts but not in the strict sense.
These is how legacies are born. The most old test series is “The Ashes”, played between England and Australia. The first Ashes series was played in 1882–83 in Australia. There is a funny story about the origin of the name “the ashes”, which will talked below.
Now, it’s time to talk about test series names and their origin:
The Ashes
The Ashes Series is a historic and fiercely contested cricket competition played between England and Australia. The series, which dates back to 1882, takes its name from a satirical obituary published in The Sporting Times, mourning “the death of English cricket” after Australia’s first-ever Test victory on English soil.
The Ashes became a symbol of the rivalry between Australia and England, and the series has since become one of the most prestigious and sought-after trophies in international cricket.
The Ashes is a Test cricket series, which means it consists of five matches. The series is held alternately in Australia and England, and the team that wins the majority of the matches takes home the urn, which is a small terracotta trophy believed to contain the ashes of a cricket bail.
The Anthony de Mello Trophy
The Anthony de Mello Trophy is a revered cricket trophy that is awarded to the winner of a Test series between India and Australia. It is named after the highly respected and influential Indian cricket administrator, Anthony de Mello. He was one of the founders of BCCI who played 11 first class matches.
The trophy holds great significance in the cricketing world as it symbolizes the fierce competition and camaraderie between two cricketing powerhouses. Since its inception in 1951, the trophy has witnessed numerous thrilling battles between the two teams, with both India and England players putting up memorable performances.
Basil D’Oliveira Trophy
The Basil D’Oliveira Trophy is a cricket trophy named in honor of the legendary South African cricketer, Basil D’Oliveira. The trophy is contested in Test match series between England and South Africa cricket teams. The trophy started during 2005-06 England tour of South Africa.
Basil D’Oliveira was a talented all-rounder who played a significant role in challenging the apartheid policies of South Africa’s cricket board during the 1960s. His exclusion from the national team due to his mixed race heritage was a huge moment in the history of South African cricket. This trophy symbolizes the strong cricketing bonds between England and South Africa as the latter was once former’s colony.
Benaud-Qadir Trophy
The Benaud-Qadir Trophy is a cricket trophy named after two legendary spin bowlers, Richie Benaud from Australia and Abdul Qadir from Pakistan. Introduced in 2022, the trophy is awarded to the winner of the Test series between Australia and Pakistan. Both Benaud and Qadir had a significant impact on their respective teams and played crucial roles in shaping the art of spin bowling.
This trophy serves as a tribute to their contributions to the sport as well as the historical rivalry between the two cricketing nations. It symbolizes the excellence and skill displayed by these two spinners and adds to the excitement and prestige of the series between Australia and Pakistan.
Border–Gavaskar Trophy
The Border–Gavaskar Trophy is an International Test cricket series played between India and Australia. The series is named after distinguished former captains, Australia’s Allan Border and India’s Sunil Gavaskar. It is played via the International Cricket Council’s future tours program.
The first Border–Gavaskar Trophy was played in 1996–97, and India won the series 2–0. Since then, the series has been played 16 times, with India winning 10 series, Australia winning 5 series, and one series ending in a draw.
The Border–Gavaskar Trophy is one of the most fiercely contested Test series in the world. The two teams have produced some of the greatest cricket matches of all time, including the 2001 Kolkata Test, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest Test matches ever played.
Clive Lloyd Trophy
The Clive Lloyd Trophy is a cricket trophy that is awarded to the winner of the Test series between the West Indies and Zimbabwe. The trophy was first contested in 2001, and is named after the legendary West Indies captain Clive Lloyd. Lloyd led the West Indies to eight consecutive Test series victories between 1974 and 1980, and is also the only captain to have won three consecutive Cricket World Cups.
The Clive Lloyd Trophy is a highly contested trophy, with both teams having won it five times each. The West Indies are the current holders of the trophy, having won the 2017-18 series 1-0. The next Clive Lloyd Trophy series is scheduled to be played in Zimbabwe in 2023. The West Indies will be looking to defend their title, while Zimbabwe will be hoping to end their long wait for a victory in this trophy.
Frank Worrell Trophy
Frank Worrell Trophy was specifically created to commemorate the first Test match between the West Indies and Australia in which a black captain led the West Indies to victory. Frank Worrell was the first black captain of the West Indies, and he led them to a 1-0 series victory in Australia in 1960-61. The first Test of that series ended in a tie, and the Australian Cricket Board of Control and Don Bradman commissioned a trophy to be created in Worrell’s honor.
The Frank Worrell Trophy is a perpetual trophy, which means that it is never retired. The winning team retains the trophy until the next series between the two teams, when the losing team gets a chance to win it back. The trophy is made of silver and is shaped like a cricket ball. It is inscribed with the words “Frank Worrell Trophy” and “West Indies vs Australia.”
Freedom Trophy
The Freedom Trophy is the first cricket trophy to be dedicated to two individuals, Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Both Gandhi and Mandela were leaders of the anti-colonial and anti-apartheid movements in India and South Africa, respectively. They were both instrumental in achieving independence for their countries through nonviolent means.
The Freedom Trophy was created in 2015 by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Gandhi’s arrival in South Africa. The trophy is awarded to the winner of the Test series between India and South Africa, which is now known as the Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela series.
The Freedom Trophy is a silver bowl with a marble base. It is inscribed with the names of Gandhi and Mandela, as well as the words “Freedom Trophy” and “Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela series.” The trophy is currently held by South Africa, who won the 2021-22 series 2-1.
Pataudi Trophy
The Pataudi Trophy was specifically created to commemorate the 75 years since the first Test match between the two sides, which was played in England in 1932. The trophy is named after the Pataudi cricketing family, which has produced some of the greatest cricketers in Indian history. The first Nawab of Pataudi, Iftikhar Ali Khan, played for both England and India in Test cricket. His son, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, was a long-term captain of the Indian side in the 1960s and 1970s.
The Pataudi Trophy is a silver bowl with a marble base. It is inscribed with the names of the Pataudi family and the words “Pataudi Trophy.” The trophy is currently held by England, who won the 2022 series 4-1.
Richards–Botham Trophy
The Richards–Botham Trophy is named after Viv Richards and Ian Botham. They were two of the greatest cricketers of all time, and they played against each other in many memorable matches. The trophy was created in 2021 to commemorate the rivalry between England and the West Indies, and the friendship between Richards and Botham.
It is awarded to the winner of the Test series between the two teams. The trophy is a silver bowl with a marble base. It is inscribed with the names of Richards and Botham, as well as the words “Richards–Botham Trophy.” The trophy is currently held by West Indies, who won the inaugural series in 2022.
Sir Vivian Richards Trophy
The Sir Vivian Richards Trophy is awarded to the winner of the Test series between South Africa and the West Indies. It was first awarded in 1998 to commemorate the return of South Africa to international cricket after the end of apartheid. The trophy is currently held by South Africa, who have won the series 7 times in 8 contests.
The trophy is named after Sir Vivian Richards, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of all time. Richards was born in Antigua and Barbuda and played for the West Indies from 1974 to 1991. He scored 8,540 runs in 121 Test matches, with 24 centuries and 45 half-centuries.
Sobers–Tissera Trophy
The Sobers–Tissera Trophy was first awarded following the 2015-16 series between the Sri Lanka and West Indies. The trophy is named after Sir Garfield Sobers and Michael Tissera, prominent cricketers of old from the two countries.
Sir Garfield Sobers is widely considered to be one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of cricket. He played for the West Indies from 1954 to 1974, scoring 8,032 runs in 93 Test matches and taking 234 wickets. He was also a brilliant fielder.
Michael Tissera was a right-hand batsman and leg-spin bowler who played for Ceylon, as Sri Lanka was then known, from 1948 to 1965. He scored 2,737 runs in 49 Test matches and took 100 wickets. He was also a captain of the Ceylon team.
Southern Cross Trophy
The Southern Cross Trophy was a cricket trophy that was awarded to the winner of the Test series between Australia and Zimbabwe. It was first contested in a single-Test series in Zimbabwe in 1999, which was accompanied by a series of three One Day Internationals.
In the first Test of the second and last series of the Trophy in the 2003–04 season, Matthew Hayden scored a then-record highest Test score by a batsman, a 380 that won him the player of the series award. The trophy was discontinued after the 2003-04 series, as Zimbabwe’s cricket team declined in strength and they were no longer considered to be a major Test-playing nation.
Trans-Tasman Trophy
The Trans-Tasman Trophy is a cricket trophy that is awarded to the winner of the Test series between Australia and New Zealand. It was first contested in the 1985-86 season, making it one of the newer Test trophies in the world.
The trophy is named after the Tasman Sea, which separates Australia and New Zealand. The trophy is a silver cup with a marble base. It is inscribed with the words “Trans-Tasman Trophy” and “Australia vs New Zealand.”
Australia has won the Trans-Tasman Trophy a total of 26 times, while New Zealand has won 6 times. The current holder of the trophy is Australia, who won the 2022-23 series 3-0.
Warne–Muralitharan Trophy
The Warne–Muralitharan Trophy is a cricket trophy that is awarded to the winner of the Test series between Australia and Sri Lanka. It was first contested in the 2007-08 season, and is named after the two leading wicket takers in Test cricket, Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan and Australia’s Shane Warne. This trophy is one of the most beautiful and unique trophies.
Some Q&A Related to Wisden Trophy
What is the test series trophy called which is played between India and England?
Factually, the series has two names. When England comes to India for a test series, it is called Anthony de Mello Trophy. On the other hand, when India tours England for a test match series, the trophy is called Pataudi Trophy.
Which is the oldest Test series trophy in cricket?
The oldest test series trophy in cricket is the Ashes which started in 1882-83. When England’s captain Ivo Bligh, along with his troops, toured Australia to recover Ashes (famous term referred in a newspaper), the term then emerged.
Which team plays Freedom Test Series?
Freedom test series is played between India and South Africa. On every third year, both teams’ tour alternatively. It was inaugurated in 2015, officially known as “Freedom Trophy”.
Which team plays Wisden Trophy in test cricket?
Wisden Trophy is previously used name of Richards–Botham Trophy. From 1963 to 2020, the accolade was called Wisden Trophy but in 2020, upon agreement of both boards, the name was changed.
Which player has scored most runs in Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
Talking about Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Sachin Tendulkar has scored most runs (3,262) and Nathan Lyon has taken most wickets (116).
What was Asian Test Championship?
Asian Test Championship was the only test series trophy that was awarded in a competition of more than two teams. It began in 1998 and was disbanded in 2002, with Pakistan and Sri Lanka winning winning it one time each.
