International Cricket in 2005-06

International Cricket In 2005-06

This article contains information on International cricket in the 2005-06 cricket season, as defined by Cricinfo - mainly containing the results of tours from September 2005 until May 2006. In this time, all the ten Test nations played Test cricket, and the first ICC Super Series was held, between Australia and an ICC World XI. The season opening Super Series saw Australia win all three ODIs and the lone Test.

Australia and South Africa toured each other once, with Australia winning both Test series, 2–0 at home and 3–0 in South Africa. Australia also won the VB Series ODI tournament at home, but went down 2–3 in the away ODIs in South Africa, as South Africa chased a world record total to win the fifth and final ODI. South Africa also managed to beat New Zealand in ODI matches in October, before travelling to India in November and drawing their series there 2–2. In the same month, Australia whitewashed West Indies for the Frank Worrell Trophy.

Ashes winners England went on two tours of the subcontinent, first in late 2005 against Pakistan and then in March and April 2006 against India. They didn't win any of the series, but their 1–1 result in India was their best since 1985.

India, under their coach Greg Chappell, who took over in May 2005, lost a triangular tournament final in Zimbabwe to New Zealand in August, but then went on to beat Sri Lanka 6–1, drew South Africa,beat Pakistan 4–1 and England 5–1 in ODIs. They did lose the Test series in Pakistan, however, who went through their eight Tests in the 2005–06 season unbeaten, and also beat England and Sri Lanka in ODIs.

Sri Lanka fell from second to sixth place in the ICC ODI Championship after losing to India, New Zealand, and the VB Series final to Australia, though they did keep South Africa out of the final. They were seventh on 1 April, a cut off point for determining the groups of the 2006 Champions Trophy, and their placing meant they had to qualify for said tournament. They played two series with Bangladesh, one home and one away, winning both Test series 2–0 but losing one ODI at Bogra.

New Zealand played a summer full of ODI cricket, and went without a Test from 19 August 2005 to 9 March 2006 after their Test series in South Africa was postponed into April. After going down 0–4 in the ODIs in South Africa, they lost the Chappell–Hadlee Trophy to Australia in December, but beat Sri Lanka and West Indies at home, and also beat West Indies 2–0 in their three-Test series. However, they went down 0–2 in the three-Test series in South Africa that rounded off the season.

West Indies went on tours Down Under, failing to take the Frank Worrell Trophy for the sixth time since 1992–93, and also losing both ODIs and Tests to New Zealand. Shivnarine Chanderpaul retired as captain after the season, which meant Brian Lara took up the job for the third time in his career. Bangladesh lost all their six Test matches, though they earned a first-innings lead of 158 against Australia in the first of their two Tests, and recorded one ODI win against Sri Lanka, and whitewashed Kenya 4–0 after the Kenyans had come off a 2–2 draw in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe voluntarily withdrew from Test cricket after three innings defeats and a ten-wicket loss in their home Tests in August and September, along with internal power struggles and elimination from their home ODI tournament.

In women's cricket, India were the most active, first beating England 4–1 in home ODIs and then winning the Women's Asia Cup after going unbeaten through the three-team tournament in Pakistan. However, their tour of Australasia ended in four losses (three ODI, one Test) to Australia, and one win in five ODIs against New Zealand. England Women also toured Sri Lanka, winning both ODIs, and drew a Test in Delhi. The season also included the youth World Cup in Sri Lanka, which Pakistan U–19 won after defending 109 in the final against India U–19.