The Benson and Hedges Challenge (also known as The Perth Challenge by non-commercial broadcasters such as ABC Local Radio) was a one-off one-day international cricket tournament played at the WACA Ground in Perth, Western Australia from 30 December 1986 to 7 January 1987 as part of the 1987 America's Cup Festival of Sport.
The tournament was won by England who defeated Pakistan by 5 wickets in the final. West Indies and host nation Australia also took part.
The tournament and the America's Cup
This tournament saw the first matches played under floodlights at the WACA Ground with four of the seven matches being day/night games. In addition, the pitch square had been relaid prior to the 1985–86 season and had a full year to settle. The seating areas had been redeveloped with concourse seating installed and a new two-tier grandstand was under construction at the Swan River end of the ground.
The team uniforms for the tournament were based on the official shirts for the 1986-87 America's Cup being held concurrently in Fremantle. Each team's main colour made up the bottom half of the shirt, their secondary colour made up the top half and a white stripe surrounded the shirt over the chest. The official logo of the tournament was based on a 12-metre class yacht with a white cricket ball half doubling as the spinnaker.
Prize money for the tournament was $3,000 for winning and $1,500 for losing in the group stage, $10,000 for finishing runners-up and $20,000 for winning the tournament, making a total of $61,000.
Television coverage was provided by the Nine Network, while commercial free radio broadcasts were provided by ABC Local Radio.
Uniforms
Playing squads
Australia Allan Border (captain), Glenn Bishop, David Boon, Simon Davis, Dean Jones, Craig McDermott, Ken MacLeay, Geoff Marsh, Greg Matthews, Simon O'Donnell, Bruce Reid, Steve Waugh, Mike Whitney, Tim Zoehrer
England Mike Gatting (captain), Bill Athey, Ian Botham, Chris Broad, Phillip DeFreitas, Graham Dilley, Phil Edmonds, John Emburey, Neil Foster, David Gower, Allan Lamb, Jack Richards, Gladstone Small
Pakistan Imran Khan (captain), Asif Mujtaba, Ijaz Ahmed, Javed Miandad, Manzoor Elahi, Mudassar Nazar, Qasim Omar, Rameez Raja, Saleem Jaffar, Saleem Yousuf, Shoaib Mohammad, Wasim Akram
West Indies Viv Richards (captain), Winston Benjamin, Jeff Dujon, Joel Garner, Larry Gomes, Tony Gray, Gordon Greenidge, Roger Harper, Desmond Haynes, Michael Holding, Gus Logie, Malcolm Marshall, Richie Richardson, Courtney Walsh
Match results All matches played at WACA Ground, Perth. For full scorecards, follow this link
1st match
2nd match
3rd match
4th match
5th match
6th match
Final
Javed Miandad was named by Rod Marsh as the Benson and Hedges Challenge Champion (the name given to the Player of the Match in the Final) and was awarded an 18ct gold Longines Conquest watch, then valued at $15 000.
Tournament highlights Pakistan's shock win over the West Indies in the opening match of the Challenge Ian Botham hitting Australian fast-medium bowler Simon Davis for 26 runs in an over John Emburey catching Ken MacLeay at long-on overhead, one-handed and falling backwards. The catch was named as Channel Nine's Classic Catch of 1986-87. Dean Jones scoring centuries on consecutive days against England and Pakistan Dean Jones and Steve Waugh adding 173 for the 4th wicket against Pakistan, then an Australian ODI 4th wicket record Asif Mujtaba guiding Pakistan from 6 for 129 to 9 for 274 against Australia England defeating a full-strength West Indies side to ensure an England-Pakistan final with two group matches to spare Gordon Greenidge scoring his first international century in Australia
The Challenge was England's second tournament victory of the 1986-87 Australian summer. They had retained The Ashes at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 28 December 1986 and went on to win the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup against Australia and West Indies.
References
External links Cricinfo scorecards for the B&H Perth Challenge AUS v ENG,1986-87 Perth Challenge Game 2 - YouTube