5 iconic cricketing series and the reasons for their names

Test cricket is the oldest format of the game and has been played since 1877. Over the course of the last 140 years, plenty of new rivalries and series have cropped up that have enthralled cricket fans all across the world.

At first, there was only The Ashes, which had a specific name and a storyline. However, with the passage of time, many more Test series developed that had their own names and the two teams involved started playing for a specific trophy. These trophies are known as perpetual trophies and at this point in time, there are 15 of them.

Some of them are fairly recent additions while some others have been existence for a long time. Here is a look at 5 of those iconic perpetual trophies and why they have been named so.

5 The Trans-Tasman Trophy

This trophy is contested between Tasman neighbours and rivals Australia and New Zealand and hence it has been given that name. The first Trans-Tasman Trophy was contested in 1985-86 in Australia and prior to that, the teams had contested in 6 Test series, the first of which was played in 1945-46.

New Zealand won the first series in Australia 2-1 on the back of superb performances from their star bowler Richard Hadlee and then in the series in New Zealand, the Kiwis won the three test series 1-0 to retain the Trans-Tasman Trophy.

Since then, Australia have been dominant in this fixture and have won 10 out of the 15 series that have been played since then. Three series have ended in draws. Australia are the current holders of the trophy, after having won in their rivals' den in the 2015-16 season.

4 The Border-Gavaskar Trophy

India-Australia share one of the biggest rivalries in world cricket and that has been so ever since that Test match in Melbourne in 1981. However, the Test series between India and Australia did not have a name till 1996, when it was christened the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

It is apt that the series has been named after two of the most prolific batsmen in the game and two legendary cricketers of either country.

Sunil Gavaskar was the first to reach the tally of 10,000 runs in Test cricket and Allan Border was the one who broke that record. India won the one-off Test series at home and since then it has been one of the most competitive, volatile, controversial series in the cricketing itinerary.

Along the way, some of the best cricketers in the world have gone head to head with one another in some of the most absorbing Test cricket played in the last 2 decades.

In the 13 series played so far, India have won 7, Australia have won 5 and another one in Australia back in 2003-04 was drawn. India are the current holders of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having won the Test series earlier this year. The teams square off again in 2018 in Australia.

3 The Basil D'Oliveira Trophy

The England-South Africa contest is the second oldest Test series in the world and the first Test series between the two was played way back in 1888-89 in South Africa.

The series between the two nations has been known as the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy and the first one was contested in South Africa in 2004-05. Basil D'Oliveira was a South African born cricketer, who played for England and after he was selected by the England selectors for the tour to tour his country of birth in 1958, the South African administrators refused to play if a man of colour was part of the visiting team.

The tour was cancelled and South Africa were eventually booted out from international cricket. The name of the trophy is hence quite apt and pays tribute to a cricketer, who had been treated shabbily by the South African cricket administrators.

The two countries have contested 6 times for the trophy and England hold the advantage, having won it three times as opposed to South Africa's two.

One series was drawn. England are the current holders of the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy, having beaten the visiting South Africans 3-1 in a four test series earlier this year.

2 The Frank Worrell Trophy

The rivalry between the West Indies and Australia might be a one-sided affair these days, due to the seemingly terminal decline of the former in the longest format of the game. However, for a long time in cricket history, the Australia-West Indies Test series used to be quite tightly contested and from 1960-61 onwards the teams have been playing for the Frank Worrell Trophy.

The 1960-61 series, which Australia won 2-1 also included the tied Test in Brisbane. Following the first ever tied Test match, Sir Donald Bradman and the Australian Cricket Board decided to name the trophy after the West Indies' first ever black captain Frank Worrell.

Since then, there have been 24 series in total, out of which Australia have won 14 and the West Indies have 8.

The other two were drawn. Through the 1970s and 1980s, the West Indies dominated Australia and won 7 out of the 8 series played between 1977-78 and 1992-92. Since then, Australia have won the Frank Worrell Trophy every time with the exception of the 1999 series in the West Indies, which was drawn.

1 The Ashes

The Ashes is the most historic Test series in cricket, having been played for a span of 132 years and counting. After Australia shot out England for a paltry score while defending a low score at The Oval back in 1882, an English sports publication named The Sporting Times wrote "English cricket is dead," and that the body was to be cremated.

The Ashes of the 'body' were then to be taken to Australia.

Since then, the series had been about 'regaining the Ashes' and has turned into one of the most storied rivalries in world cricket. Till 2015, 69 series have been played between the two sides and each side have won 32 Ashes series in their history, with 5 other being drawn. At present, England are the holders of the Ashes, after having beaten Australia in 2015.

The teams will square off later on this month Down Under and the onus will be on hosts Australia to regain the Ashes.