Cricket Australia to recognise World Series Cricket records: Report

New Delhi: Ahead of Friday's inaugural day-night Test match, Cricket Australia (CA) has announced that the World Series Cricket (WSC) records will be given its due status, by recognising the players' achievements in the famous Super Tests and One Day Cup matches.

According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, CA board of directors have approved the inclusion of WSC statistics in the official playing records of Australian participants, including Chappel brothers – Ian and Greg, Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh and Len Pascoe.

Besides, CA is also holding discussions with other cricket boards to follow the suit. Players from the West Indies, England, South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand had took part in that ground-breaking unofficial series, executed by Aussie broadcaster Kerry Parker.

World Series Cricket, which was held for two seasons down under in 1977-78 and 1978-79, helped shape the modern cricket as we know today, with coloured clothings, night cricket in floodlight stadiums and enhanced television coverage.

Greg Chappell, who played 14 matches scoring 1415 runs in that series said, "I think it has got to be recognised, for the quality of cricket it was and for what it has done for cricket."

The report also quoted CA chief executive, James Sutherland as saying, "World Series Cricket was clearly some of the most competitive, high-performing international cricket ever played... Given the quality of the competition, players from that era regarded strong performances in WSC as career highlights.”

"Such was the impact that WSC had on the game, it has been unjust that records from that competition haven't been formally recognised. So leading into this first day-night Test where we are thinking about the players who pioneered cricket under lights, we proposed adjusting our own statistical records to include performances from WSC," Sutherland justified CA's move.

Tomorrow, cricket world will witness first ever day-night Test match with pink balls, to be played at Adelaide between Australia and New Zealand.