<\/p>\n
\nHamish Marshall during the T20 match between the Black Caps and Australia at Eden Park in 2005.
\nPhoto: Photosport\n<\/p>\n
This summer marks 20 years since the first international T20 cricket match, which featured the Black Caps and Australia at Eden Park.<\/p>\n
At the time, T20 cricket was viewed as “a bit of a joke” and the first international saw afros, moustaches and the Black Caps and Australia wearing retro jerseys, with the Black Caps kitted out in beige.<\/p>\n
The two teams are facing off once again this October at the Bay Oval in Tauranga, and New Zealand cricket are selling tickets for $20 to mark the milestone.<\/p>\n
Beige Brigade co-founder Paul Ford remembers the match 20 years ago and is hoping to get the Bay Oval crowd to wear beige in October.<\/p>\n
The beige jersey has become a de facto colour for Black Caps fans and Ford told Morning Report how the retro 1980s jersey came back into vogue for that first T20 match.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nChris Cairns celebrates a wicket during the T20 match between the Black Caps and Australia at Eden Park on 17 February 2005.
\nPhoto: Hannah Johnston \/ Photosport\n<\/p>\n
“It was a pretty unusual situation. New Zealand Cricket had invested a lot of money in their Black Caps brand and then decided to go back to beige.<\/p>\n
“Unbelievable that the 1980s kit that got formed up as a joke and we [the Beige Brigade] took on as a sort of a satirical piece of clothing is still going.”<\/p>\n
The Beige Brigade was formed “last century” as a tongue in cheek supporters’ group at a time when New Zealand wasn’t particularly good at cricket.<\/p>\n
Ford explains that it was his friend and Black Cap bowler Dan Vettori who got hold of an old Bruce Edgar one-day kit from the 1980s, and Ford would wear it to games in the late 90s, and the Beige Brigade was formed from there.<\/p>\n
“People loved 1980s cricket. They loved how good New Zealand was at that time.”<\/p>\n
For those who remember that match in 2005, Ford offers some frightening statistics.<\/p>\n
“Rachin Ravindra was five, and the whole New Zealand team was under 15-years-old.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nScott Styris hits a six during the T20 match between the Black Caps and Australia at Eden Park in 2005.<\/p>\n
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\nPhoto: Photosport\n<\/p>\n
Along with the new crop of players, and the Black Caps success over the past decade on the world stage, there have been a lot of changes to how T20 cricket is viewed.<\/p>\n
“That first game was very much tongue in cheek, it was a bit of a joke, the players didn’t take it seriously, no one really thought it was going to take on the massive significance that it has.<\/p>\n
“It’s gone from being a novelty to being something that’s massively attractive to fans.”<\/p>\n
The Black Caps and Australia play three T20 matches at the Bay Oval starting on 1 October.<\/p>\n