World Championship Cricket before World Series Cricket - Australian Tour 1968

Ken Jacobs | November 07, 2023

Well before T20 Cricket and even 50 over one day matches there was "Double Wicket Cricket" and in 1968 it was played in Australia, largely due to the efforts of former NSW and Australian captain Bob Simpson.

And when you look at the players who were involved in 1968 it makes you wonder about the crowds they would attract today - an absolute array of champions of the game of cricket.

The rules are outlined in this booklet as too the prizemoney on offer -the winning team received $4000 and the team that finished eighth received $1150.

Matches were played in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth and for all matches local players in each State were the fieldsmen for the day - there are many familiar and other well-known players who acted as fieldsmen in each State as you will see.

Unfortunately, the fieldsmen for the Victoria leg of the competition played at the St. Kilda Cricket Ground "Junction Oval" are not listed but I think there were a number of St.Kilda CC players involved.

A couple of other interesting observations from the booklet:

- a page dedicated to the great Colin Bland (Rhodesia) who was invited to play in the tournament but was refused a visa to enter Australia.

- a poem dedicated to batsmen who make a duck!

- an advertisement for the official accommodation provider for the competition- "Koala Motels” - do they still exist?