Browne to Warner – moments of history at Champions Trophy 2017 venues
Eight teams will compete for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 title across three brilliant venues in England and Wales: the Kennington Oval in London, Edgbaston in Birmingham and Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. These three venues have hosted many matches, including ones played in ICC tournaments. Here are those special moments witnessed at each ground.
The Kennington Oval, London
The Browne and Bradshaw show – ICC Champions Trophy 2004, Final, England v West Indies
England was hosting the Champions Trophy after a long home season. It had reached the finals of a tournament that had seen its fair share of rain. But the venue wasn’t the only thing under a cloud of gloom. The West Indies, under Brian Lara’s captaincy, was trying to regain some of its former glory and beating the home side seemed like the perfect cure. The Caribbean islands had been hit by hurricanes earlier, and Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw were men on a mission, determined to give their people something to be happy about. With 71 runs and a title win that was dedicated to the victims of the hurricanes back home, Browne and Bradshaw will have fond memories of The Oval.
Edgbaston, Birmingham
The bat drop – ICC World Cup 1999, Semifinal, Australia v South Africa
Sometimes, a match is won by the smallest of margins and the 1999 World Cup semi-final, one of the greatest World Cup matches ever, was won by the smallest of them all: net run-rate. It didn’t have to come down to that for either team if Allan Donald had not dropped his bat while trying to complete the winning run or if Shane Warne hadn’t found his rhythm and taken 4 for 29. But despite a brilliant half-century from Jacques Kallis and some solid hitting from Lance Klusener, Donald’s bat drop while the scores were tied still haunts Edgbaston if not the South Africans, who are yet to reach an ICC World Cup final.
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
The inaugural match – ICC World Cup 1999, Match 10, Group B, Australia v New Zealand
Hosting a One-Day International for the first time, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, was treated to a spectacle in a fierce rivalry between the trans-Tasman neighbours. Darren Lehmann’s half-century and Geoff Allott’s 4 for 37 studded the first innings, setting New Zealand a chase of 214. Enter Roger Twose, who made his highest score of the tournament, an unbeaten 80, in a spectacular partnership of 148 with Chris Cairns (60) to chase down the target with 28 balls and five wickets to spare, giving Cardiff a brilliant start to hosting ODIs.