The Commonwealth Bank Series was the name of the One Day International cricket tournament in Australia for the 2006–07 season. It was a tri-nation series between Australia, England and New Zealand.
Australia booked a place in the final after just seven matches in the tournament, and having participated in just five, with five games left to play. The other place in the final came down to the last match of the series as New Zealand and England both had won only 2 games; England won this semi-final of sorts.
England won the final series by two games to nil to lift the trophy, making it their first major one-day tournament win since 1997 and their first Australian tri-series win since 20 years previous, when they also won the Ashes.
Fixtures Matches played in the series were as follows:
No.DateTeam 1Team 2StadiumLocation Group Stage Schedule1 12 January 2007 AUS ENG Melbourne Cricket Ground Melbourne2 14 January 2007 AUS NZ Bellerive Oval Hobart3 16 January 2007 ENG NZ Bellerive Oval Hobart4 19 January 2007 AUS ENG The 'Gabba Brisbane5 21 January 2007 AUS NZ Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney6 23 January 2007 ENG NZ Adelaide Oval Adelaide7 26 January 2007 AUS ENG Adelaide Oval Adelaide8 28 January 2007 AUS NZ WACA Ground Perth9 30 January 2007 ENG NZ WACA Ground Perth10 2 February 2007 AUS ENG Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney11 4 February 2007 AUS NZ Melbourne Cricket Ground Melbourne12 6 February 2007 ENG NZ The 'Gabba Brisbane Finals ScheduleFinal 1 9 February 2007 AUS ENG Melbourne Cricket Ground MelbourneFinal 2 11 February 2007 AUS ENG Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney
Squads Australia NameStyleDomestic team Captain and Middle Order BatsmanRicky Ponting RHB, RM Tasmania Vice Captain, Opening Batsman WicketkeeperAdam Gilchrist LHB Western Australia Opening BatsmanMatthew Hayden LHB, RM Queensland Middle Order BatsmenMichael Hussey LHB, RM Western AustraliaMichael Clarke RHB, SLA New South Wales All-roundersAndrew Symonds RHB, RFM / ROB QueenslandShane Watson RHB, RFM New South WalesCameron White RHB, LB Victoria Spin BowlersBrad Hogg LHB, SLC West Australia Fast BowlersNathan Bracken RHB, LFM New South WalesStuart Clark RHB, RFM New South WalesMitchell Johnson LHB, LFM QueenslandBrett Lee RHB, RF New South WalesGlenn McGrath RHB, RMF New South WalesBen Hilfenhaus RHB, RFM TasmaniaShaun Tait RHB, RF South Australia EnglandNameStyleDomestic team Captain and Opening Batsman Michael Vaughan RHB, OB Yorkshire Wicketkeepers Paul Nixon LHB Leicestershire Chris Read RHB Nottinghamshire Opening Batsmen Mal Loye RHB, OS Lancashire Andrew Strauss LHB, LM Middlesex Middle Order Batsmen Ian Bell RHB, RM Warwickshire Ravi Bopara RHB, RMF Essex Ed Joyce LHB, RM Middlesex Kevin Pietersen RHB, OB Hampshire All-rounders Paul Collingwood RHB, RMF Durham Andrew Flintoff RHB, RF Lancashire Spin Bowlers Jamie Dalrymple RHB, OB Middlesex Monty Panesar LHB, SLA Northamptonshire Fast Bowlers James Anderson LHB, RFM Lancashire Stuart Broad LHB, RFM Leicestershire Jon Lewis RHB, RMF Gloucestershire Sajid Mahmood RHB, RFM Lancashire Liam Plunkett RHB, RFM Durham Chris Tremlett RHB, RFM Hampshire New ZealandNameStyleDomestic team Captain and Middle-Order Batsman Stephen Fleming LHB Wellington Wicketkeeper and Opening Batsman Brendon McCullum RHB Canterbury Opening Batsman Nathan Astle RHB, RM Canterbury Lou Vincent RHB, RM Auckland Middle Order Batsmen Peter Fulton RHB, RM Canterbury Hamish Marshall RHB, RM Northern Districts Ross Taylor RHB, OB Central Districts All-rounders Andre Adams RHB, RFM Auckland Craig McMillan RHB, RM Canterbury Jacob Oram LHB, RFM Central Districts Scott Styris RHB, RM Auckland Spin Bowlers Daniel Vettori LHB, SLA Northern Districts Jeetan Patel RHB, OB Wellington Fast Bowlers Shane Bond RHB, RF Canterbury James Franklin LHB, LFM Wellington Mark Gillespie RHB, RFM Wellington Michael Mason RHB, RFM Central Districts
Group stage table
Points system A win earns 4 points, a tie or no result = 2 points, a bonus = 1 point and a loss = 0 points.
If the team batting first match and restricts its opponents to 80% of its total, it gains a bonus point. If the team batting second wins the match in 40 overs, it gains a bonus point.
A team's run rate will be calculated by reference to the runs scored in an innings divided by the number of overs faced.
In the event of teams finishing on equal points, the right to play in the final will be determined as follows: The team with the most wins If still equal, the team with the most wins over the other team(s) who are equal on points and have the same number of wins If still equal, the team with the most bonus points If still equal, the team with the highest net run ratePoints table from Cricinfo, retrieved 31 January 2007
Group stage matches
Match 1: Australia v England, 12 January
England won the toss and elected to bat. Kevin Pietersen was the only England player to get settled, scoring 82. It was debated whether this effected his dismissal getting out caught playing a big shot, slightly after a Glenn McGrath bouncer which injured Pietersen for the rest of the tour. In the end England scored a mediocre total of 242. The English team's bowling attack couldn't have got to a worse start after Gilchrist and Hayden smashed 16 off the first over. After Hayden and Gilchrist got out, Ponting and Clarke took over both going above 50. Australia cruised to an 8 wicket victory with 5 overs remaining.
Match 2: Australia v New Zealand, 14 January
All of the Australian batsman scored reasonable scores that gave Australia a big first innings total. Shane Bond got a one-day hat trick while cleaning up the tail. New Zealand couldn't chase down Australia, Andrew Symonds named man of the match.
Match 3: England v New Zealand, 16 January
Man of the match Andrew Flintoff scored 72 and hit the winning run with just one ball remaining to get their first win on tour.
Match 4: Australia v England, 19 January
England were bowled out for a low score and got early wickets and slowed the run rate to even up the match. Mike Hussey had a controversial decision being not out after nicking a ball to Nixon. He went on to become the man of the match for his 46 including a slog sweep which went for six.
Match 5: Australia v New Zealand, 21 January
Craig McMillan saved the Kiwis from a low score after they had lost early wickets. New Zealand bowled well early with Clarke and Hussey rescuing the Aussies. This was also Nathan Astle's last match, retiring due to poor form.
Match 6: England v New Zealand, 23 January
Match 7: Australia v England, 26 January
England reached a new low bowled out for 110 in what was regarded as their worst performance on tour.
Match 8: Australia v New Zealand, 28 January
Hayden and Ponting both smashed hundreds to give Australia a huge first innings score. New Zealand did well chasing, falling just short with Oram also getting a century.
Match 9: England v New Zealand, 30 January
Match 10: Australia v England, 2 February
England finally beat Australia with Ed Joyce scoring a 100 as England almost reached 300. Plunkett bowled Gilchrist on the first ball, while Symonds had to retire hurt.
Match 11: Australia v New Zealand, 4 February
Match 12: England v New Zealand, 6 February
Paul Collingwood was back in form getting his first 100 since the Adelaide Test match. The captain Fleming then led from the front scoring a 100 despite controversially running out his partner.
Final series
First match: Australia vs England, 9 February
Second match: Australia vs England, 11 February
English achieved slightly above average score, but it was expected Australia should chase it down. However, rain interrupted Australia's innings several times, and the interruptions, the lost wickets, the adjusted target and slow outfield made the required run rate difficult. England ensured victory with further wickets as Australia tried to progress the score. It was a huge victory for England, who had otherwise had a terrible tour and who at the start of the series were playing poor cricket. The defeat of Australia was a significant blow to the reigning world champions, they also lost their next three matches in New Zealand.
References
External links Tournament home at Cricinfo Cricket Australia England and Wales Cricket Board New Zealand Cricket