NatWest Series

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The NatWest Series is the name used for One Day International cricket tournaments held in England since 2000. The tournaments are sponsored by the National Westminster Bank.

1 2000 to 2005: triangular series
- 1.1 Tournaments by year
2 2006 to date
3 2008 Fixtures
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] 2000 to 2005: triangular series

The original format of the NatWest Series was a three-team triangular tournament, involving England and two visiting international sides. Each of the three teams would play the other two three times each, after which the two top teams would face each other in a final at Lord's in London. The ten matches would be played at the seven international grounds (Lord's, Edgbaston, Headingley, Old Trafford, The Oval, Trent Bridge and the Riverside Ground), a well as other county cricket grounds such as the St Lawrence Ground (Canterbury), Sophia Gardens (Cardiff), the Rose Bowl (Southampton) and at Bristol.

The first NatWest Series was held in 2000 a year after England hosted the World Cup. The West Indies and Zimbabwe were the two visiting teams, with England and Zimbabwe contesting the first final. England won by 6 wickets, with Darren Gough taking 3-20 and Alec Stewart scoring 97.

Other notable matches in the series included the 2002 final, where England faced India: England posted a total of 325-5 with Nasser Hussain scoring 115, his only one day century, and Marcus Trescothick also scoring 109, but were beaten by India who made 326-8 thanks to Mohammad Kaif scoring 87 and Yuvraj Singh 69.

In 2005, Bangladesh secured an unexpected victory over Australia in Cardiff, with Mohammad Ashraful scoring a century. Also, that year's final between Australia and England was a tie, with both sides scoring 196 and sharing the trophy.

By the time of the last triangular tournament in 2005, every test-playing nation had participated in at least one NatWest Series.

[edit] Tournaments by year

2000: England (winners), Zimbabwe and West Indies
2001: Australia (winners), Pakistan and England
2002: India (winners), England and Sri Lanka
2003: England (winners) South Africa and Zimbabwe
2004: New Zealand (winners), West Indies and England
2005: Australia and England (shared winners) and Bangladesh

[edit] 2006 to date

The triangular format was abandoned in 2006, when England reverted to playing separate series against each visiting team (as they had in the Texaco Trophy from 1984 until 1998), but the name NatWest Series was retained. This was attributed to the difficulty of promoting matches not involving the home team^{[citation needed]}.

In 2006, England played five matches against each of Sri Lanka and Pakistan, losing 5-0 to Sri Lanka and drawing 2-2 with Pakistan.

In 2007, the visiting teams were the West Indies and India: England lost the three-match series against the West Indies 2-1, but beat India 4-3 in the seven-match series.

2008 will see England play host to New Zealand and South Africa.

[edit] 2008 Fixtures

13 June: Twenty20 International: England v New Zealand, Old Trafford, Manchester
15 June: 1st One Day International: England v New Zealand, Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
18 June: 2nd One Day International: England v New Zealand, Edgbaston, Birmingham
21 June: 3rd One Day International: England v New Zealand, County Ground, Bristol
25 June: 4th One Day International: England v New Zealand, Kennington Oval, London
28 June: 5th One Day International: England v New Zealand, Lord's, London

20 August: Twenty20 International: England v South Africa, Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
22 August: 1st One Day International:England v South Africa, Headingley, Leeds*
26 August: 2nd One Day International:England v South Africa, Trent Bridge, Nottingham*
29 August: 3rd One Day International:England v South Africa, Kennington Oval, London
31 August: 4th One Day International:England v South Africa, Lord's, London
3 September:5th One Day International:England v South Africa, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff*

Game marked * indicate they are a night game