Aussie, Kiwi retro ODI kits unveiled

The retro playing uniforms picked by fans to be worn by the Australian and New Zealand one-day sides this summer have been unveiled.

The kits may be from the late 1990s but the manner in which they were revealed was fittingly 2019 after photos of Aaron Finch and Martin Guptill wearing the uniforms surfaced on Instagram this week.

Via cricket.com.au and its social channels, Cricket Australia earlier this year put the choice of design for the uniform to be worn during March's three-game ODI series against the Black Caps to the public.

Eight throwback kits were put forward in a knockout bracket and after nearly half a million votes were cast, the bright yellow 1999 World Cup uniform featuring shooting stars received two-thirds of the vote in the final against the 'lightning bolt' strip from the early '90s.

New Zealand Cricket followed suit, holding a fan vote of their own, and this week uploaded a photo of Guptill proudly wearing the winning 'teal fern' uniform from the late 90s, now complete with current sponsors and the New Zealand Cricket logo.

Australia's replica uniform remains very much true to the original.

Like the kit that Steve Waugh wore when he lifted the men's 50-over silverware for the second time in Australia's history, the current kit is emblazoned with the five shooting stars across the front of the shirt.

Lesser-known details that featured on that famed uniform like the yellow stars on the green collar and shirt sleeves, as well as the Southern Cross printed on the trousers, also feature.

The major changes are CA's updated coat of arms, on the left breast of the shirt, and the logo of new sponsor Alinta Energy printed above the stars.

The logo of kit-manufacturer Asics features prominently on the right breast, the right shirt sleeve and on the trousers.

New Zealand's strip has been designed along similar lines and the shirt looks almost identical to the initial version of the uniform, which is dominated by a large white fern separating striking splashes of teal and black.

It will be the second summer in which Australia have donned retro ODI uniforms, having worn a green and gold kit against India in January that closely resembled a strip worn by the Allan Border-led side in the mid-80s.

The '99 World Cup kit holds a special place in the heart of many Australians, so memorable was the campaign that begun with a series of defeats to leave Waugh's men needing to go undefeated through their final seven games after losing to the Kiwis and eventual runners-up Pakistan in the group stage.

Waugh's century in the final match of the Super Sixes stage after Herschelle Gibbs dropped him has become part of cricketing folklore.

Shane Warne, who'd struggled in the early stages of the tournament and had openly contemplated retirement, then delivered an incredible spell in the ensuing semi-final against South Africa.

The infamous mix-up between Lance Klusener and Allan Donald at the conclusion of the match ensured a tie that was enough for Australia to progress to the final at Lord's, where they recorded an easy win to spark a run of three straight ODI World Cup victories.