Wisden Trophy

The Wisden Trophy
AdministratorECB and WICB
FormatTest
First edition1963
Latest edition2020
Tournament formatseries
Number of teams England and  West Indies
Current trophy holder England (10th title)
Most successful West Indies (14 titles)
Most runsCricket West Indies Brian Lara (2,983)[1]
Most wicketsCricket West Indies Curtly Ambrose (164)[2]

The Wisden Trophy was awarded to the winner of the Test cricket series played between England and the West Indies. It was first awarded in 1963 to commemorate the hundredth edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. Series were played in accordance with the future tours programme, with varying lengths of time between tours. If a series was drawn then the country holding the Wisden Trophy retained it. In 2020, it was announced that the trophy would be replaced by the Richards–Botham Trophy named after Sir Vivian Richards and Sir Ian Botham.[3]

The trophy is named after the famous cricketing publisher Wisden and was presented by John Wisden & Co after gaining the approval of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).[4] The Wisden Trophy was presented to the victorious team as a symbol of its victory, but then returned to the MCC Museum at Lord's.[5] Starting with the 2000 Wisden Trophy series, the Malcolm Marshall Memorial Trophy was awarded to the leading wicket taker in the series.[6][7]

England won the 2020 series, the final series in which the trophy was at stake, and thus retain it in perpetuity. England held the trophy for nine years, after beating the West Indies 3–1 in 2000, regaining it for the first time since 1969; they successfully defended the trophy three times. West Indies regained the trophy in the 2009 series in the West Indies, winning 1–0. It was originally planned to consist of four Test matches.[8] However an extra match was arranged when the second Test had to be abandoned after only a few overs of play because the ground was unfit. England regained the trophy in May 2009, winning a two Test series 2–0. The tour, coming uncommonly soon after England toured the West Indies, replaced the previously announced tour by Sri Lanka,[9] which in turn was arranged to replace the originally scheduled tour by Zimbabwe.[10] England held the trophy up to and including the 2017 series in England. The West Indies won the 2019 series 2–1 on home soil.

  1. ^ "Wisden Trophy – England v West Indies – Test matches Most runs". Cricinfo. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  2. ^ "Wisden Trophy – England v West Indians – Test matches Most wickets". Cricinfo. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  3. ^ "England v West Indies: Richards-Botham Trophy to replace Wisden Trophy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  4. ^ "The Wisden Trophy". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  5. ^ "Wisden Trophy – Eyes on prize". BBC Sport. 30 August 2000. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  6. ^ "Marshall honoured with new award". BBC Sport. 28 July 2000. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  7. ^ "England triumphant after 31 years". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. 4 September 2000. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  8. ^ "Wisden Trophy – ICC Future Tours Program 2006–2012" (PDF). International Cricket Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  9. ^ "West Indies in England 2009". BBC News. 26 May 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
  10. ^ Fraser, Angus (20 October 2008). "England line up West Indies to replace Sri Lanka in 2009". The Independent. London. Retrieved 27 March 2010.