Cricket's 2039-day drought finally over

Third time's the charm.

After nearly six years, Australia and New Zealand will contest for the coveted Chappell-Hadlee Trophy at Cairns' Cazalys Stadium in a three-match ODI series this week.

The trophy has changed hands seven times since it was officially unveiled in 2004, with Australia winning 16 of the 32 matches against their transtasman rivals during that time.

The two nations were previously scheduled to play three ODIs in March 2020, only for the Covid-19 pandemic to intervene after the series opener was infamously contested behind closed doors at the SCG.

Although the other two fixtures were postponed, Australia was awarded the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy for winning the first match in Sydney by 71 runs.

Another three ODIs were scheduled for January this year before the Black Caps were forced to pull the plug due to the New Zealand Government's strict quarantine requirements.

But now that the pandemic has, for the most part, been resolved, Australia and New Zealand can finally contend for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in a bilateral ODI series for the first time since February 2017.

The teams face off in a rare September series in order to complete the ICC's World Cup Super League, as fitting it into Australia's packed summer schedule proved too difficult.

The World Cup Super League is a one-day international league played between 13 nations, with the top eight automatically qualifying for next year's World Cup in India.

Aaron Finch's men are still reeling from a humiliating loss to Zimbabwe in Townsville, with the cricket minnows claiming a historic three-wicket victory at Riverway Stadium on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Kane Williamson's Kiwis, currently the top-ranked ODI team in the world, are coming off a 2-1 series victory against the West Indies.

The Blacks Caps are in impeccable form, winning 11 of their 12 Super League matches to effectively secure their place in next year's World Cup in India.

New Zealand arrives in Queensland with a full-strength squad, headlined by veteran quicks Trent Boult and Tim Southee.

"They're a fantastic unit, they have been for a long time," Australian white-ball captain Finch told reporters in Cairns.

"They continue to be one of the benchmarks in world cricket in all three formats of the game and the fact that they're number one in ODI cricket at the moment is testament to that.

"They are always close battles whatever the format … they go the distance generally."

But the Australians, ranked fifth on the ODI standings, are without talented all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who suffered an ankle injury during the Zimbabwe series, and paceman Pat Cummins, who has been rested.

"Always a really tough challenge, they are very clinical, certainly in their own backyards," Black Caps captain Williamson, who missed the last two ODIs against the West Indies with a quad injury, said on Monday.

"It's great to be over here and playing in another Chappell-Hadlee series as well.

"There are three one-dayers in a pretty quick time and that for us as a white-ball unit is a lot to gain from."

Cazalys Stadium has not hosted an international cricket match in 18 years, so there's an element of uncertainty about conditions heading into the series.

These New Zealand fixtures may feel inconsequential due to its spring timeslot and regional setting, but the two nations are not scheduled to face each other in a bilateral ODI series under the Men's Future Tours Progamme for 2023-27.

Whoever wins this series could keep the trophy for several years.

As domestic T20 tournaments continue to flood the cricket calendar, the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy may sadly become a forgotten relic of the past.

The first ODI between Australia and New Zealand gets underway in Cairns on Tuesday afternoon, with the first ball scheduled for 4.20pm.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission