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Information About

Pura Cup




  logo Pura Cup logojpg
  pixels 150px
  sport Cricket
  founded 1892
  teams 6
  champion Tasmania


The Pura Cup (formerly known as the '''Sheffield Shield''') is the domestic First Class Cricket competition in Australia . Each of the six state teams play in a round-robin series of home and away 4-day matches against every other team. Teams are awarded points based on the results of the match, and after each pair of teams have played each other twice, the two highest ranked teams play a 5-day final. A separate Limited Overs Competition known as the Ford Ranger Cup runs concurrently.


HISTORY

In 1891-92 the Earl Of Sheffield was in Australia as the promoter of the English team led by W. G. Grace . The tour included three Tests played in Melbourne , Sydney and Adelaide .

At the conclusion of the tour, Sheffield donated £150 to the New South Wales Cricket Association to fund a trophy for an annual tournament of Intercolonial Cricket In Australia . The three colonies of New South Wales , Victoria and South Australia were already regularly playing ad-hoc matches which were very popular.

The new tournament commenced in the summer of 1892 with the three colonies playing for a silver shield named after its benefactor.


SPONSORSHIP AND NAME CHANGE

In 1999 , the Australian Cricket Board (now Cricket Australia ) announced a 4 year sponsorship deal which included renaming the Sheffield Shield to the '''Pura Milk Cup''', then to the '''Pura Cup''' the following season. ''Pura'' is a brand name of National Foods a wholly owned subsidiary of the Philippines based San Miguel Corporation .

Although the competition had been running with losses of several million dollars per annum, cricket traditionalists protested strongly, arguing against the encroaching wave of commercialism damaging the competition that had been running for over 100 years. Many cricket lovers still refer to the competition as the ''"Shield"'' either as force of habit, or as a subtle protest.

The sponsorship increased total annual prize money to A$220,000, with the winners receiving A$75,000 and the runners up A$45,000.

See: Cricinfo article


TEAMS

  • Wins up to and including 2006-07 season.


  • Home grounds are the ''main'' venues used for home games by each team; other venues in the home state of each team are also regularly used.



POINTS SYSTEM

A number of different systems have been used over the years. Currently, points are awarded for each match during the home and away season, with the top two teams playing in the final. The team with the most points hosts the final on their home ground and only needs to draw that match to win the title.


WINNERS TABLE

Prior to the introduction of a Final in 1982/83, the team with most points after the home and away rounds was declared the winner.


PLAYER OF THE YEAR


The Player of the Year award is announced at the end of each season1. Since it's inception in 1976 it has been awarded to the player or players who are considered to have returned consistently magnificent performances by a panel of judges. Victorian and South Australian batsman Matthew Elliott has won the award the most times, being awarded Player of the Year on 3 separate occasions.


HIGHLIGHTS



RECORDS



Individual Records



Most matches played



Most dismissals



Team Records



Team Results



Highest Team Totals



Lowest Team Totals



Batting Records



Highest individual scores



Most career runs



Most runs in a season



Highest batting averages



Most centuries



Bowling Records



Most career wickets



Most wickets in a season



Best career average



SEE ALSO






EXTERNAL LINKS

  • http://members.optusnet.com.au/~anmarks/history.htm

  • Points system



REFERENCES


  • ''The History of the Sheffield Shield'', Chris Harte

  • ''A Century of Summers: 100 years of Sheffield Shield cricket'', Geoff Armstrong