'It's difficult to play seriously'

Cricket's newest era formally arrived on the world scene when the maiden Twenty20 International was unveiled at Auckland's Eden Park on a balmy mid-February evening in 2005.

Well, perhaps not the maiden as that honour had already fallen to the ladies – England and New Zealand's women's teams had fought out a 20-over fixture at Hove on Britain's south coast the previous August.

But this represented the first time many cricket fans had witnessed the curiosity of the ultra-short format on television, or in person with around 30,000 fans turning up the sacred rugby ground to be part of history as it unfolded.

The gravitas of the moment was certainly not lost on the participants. 

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The New Zealanders had spent much of that summer – during which the scheduled tour by Sri Lanka had been cut short due to the tragic Boxing Day tsunami – cultivating porn-star moustaches and mutton-chop sideburns to fit with the event's 'back to the '80s' theme. 

Hamish Marshall sported an afro that would have been the envy of many a Motown muso, and Kiwi captain Stephen Fleming could have passed as Bryan Ferry with his newly acquired mo giving him an even smoother veneer.

The hosts even donned the body-hugging beige uniforms that have haunted their country's sporting image since that era which was made infamous by the Trevor Chappell 'underarm' ODI at the MCG. 

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The Australians, caught a little unawares by the pantomime feel to what was essentially a glorified warm-up for the one-dayers and Tests that were to follow, appeared in a similarly gauche collection of body shirts and chunky gold jewellery reminiscent of the World Series Cricket vintage.

Michael Kasprowicz paid homage to the great Dennis Lillee by parading a towelling head band, flicking sweat from his forehead windscreen wiper-style with his index finger and spinning 180 degrees to crouch stock still mid-pitch when launching an appeal.

With fingers raised, as was Lillee's way.

The Australians batted first and came out swinging like they hadn't played since the 80s, losing several quick wickets until Ricky Ponting and Simon Katich decided authentic cricket strokes represented the best way of setting a total on the small ground.

Ever able to adapt to a new challenge, Ponting blazed to within one stroke of an historic century having surged from 68 to 98 (where he remained unbeaten from just 55 balls faced) in the course of one Daryl Tuffey over.

And by chiming in with 31 from 15 balls at the end, Michael Hussey served notice of the influence he would ultimately wield in the 20-over game.

Kasprowicz then took early NZ wickets, Glenn McGrath went for runs as the home team went after their unlikely victory target of 215 with verve but little strategy, and Brett Lee showed that pure pace could also be economical despite batters' intent in the abbreviated form.

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McGrath also made history by receiving cricket's first red card, jokingly threatened with expulsion from the game by whacky umpire Billy Bowden when the Australian shaped to finish the match by bowling underarm. 

Ponting who, like most members of both teams, had no previous experience in the 20-over game, best summed up the occasion when asked if the 30 runs he plundered from that single over was a feat he had achieved previously.

"Probably not since primary school," he replied, with disarming candour. 

"I think it’s difficult to play seriously."

Before adding: "If it does become an international game then I'm sure this novelty won't be there all the time."

This is an edited extract from ‘The Wrong Line’ by Andrew Ramsey published by ABC Books and which is available in paperback or e-book through the ABC Shop.