23/08/2026
π Did you know the first ODI happened partly because of rain?
On 5 January 1971, Australia and England played what became the worldβs first official One Day International at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. After the opening three days of their scheduled Test were washed out, a one-day match was arranged.
It looked very different from todayβs ODIs: each team received 40 overs, and each over contained 8 balls. England scored 190, before Australia reached 191/5 to win by five wickets. John Edrich was named Player of the Match after scoring 82. π
A match created as an alternative to rain-disrupted Test cricket became the starting point of a major international format.
How much has ODI cricket changed since 1971? π