Name The Cup: Aussie greats shortlisted after fan vote

Australian cricket fans have spoken with three overwhelming favourites shortlisted for the naming of the men's domestic One-Day Cup trophy.

Following more than a month of fan engagement and feedback, 50-over cricket revolutionaries Michael Bevan, Dean Jones and Andrew Symonds were the most popular choices to have their name immortalised on the perpetual trophy for the annual limited-overs tournament.

Almost 20,000 fans submitted their vote across Cricket Australia's social media channels and an online poll with Symonds (24 per cent), Jones (23 per cent) and Bevan (22 per cent) polling well ahead of a host of other Australian greats including Matthew Hayden, Steve Waugh and Dennis Lillee.

For more than half a century the second-oldest domestic one-day series in world cricket (after the UK's introduced in 1963) has carried a prize bearing the name of various principal sponsors, most recently the Marsh Cup.

But from 2024-25, it will follow the likes of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (for Australia India men's Tests), the Ruth Preddy Cup (Women's National Cricket League) and Sheffield Shield (men's first-class competition) with a titular trophy.

While the final decision on the naming of the trophy rests with the CA Board following a recommendation from the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame committee, led by Chair Peter King, fan input has been crucial in producing the final shortlist.

Key criteria to Name the Cup

 

An elite record in the domestic men's One-Day Cup

 

A top ODI player for Australia

 

A player who has had a major impact on the game

"The Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Committee is delighted to be adjudicating the player to be awarded the honour of having his name attached to the men's One-Day Cup trophy," King said.

"Australian cricket fans have done a fantastic job narrowing the shortlist down to three exceptional players."

Bevan, Jones and Symonds had a profound impact on one-day format across their careers, which still influences the way the game is played today, and all have outstanding records in the domestic competition as well as 10 One-Day Cup titles and five World Cups between them.

Bevan, the original 'finisher', stands alone as the individual involved in the most title victories with six (five with NSW and one with Tasmania) and his One-Day Cup batting average of 61.18 is yet to be surpassed by a player with 10 or more innings in the competition.

Jones helped revolutionise one-day batting with his attacking strokeplay, his presence at the crease and running between the wickets across his 55 matches for Victoria and 164 one-day internationals for Australia.

And Symonds, the flamboyant hard-hitting allrounder whose legacy transcends into the current generation where cricket is not merely a pastime but also entertainment, is remembered as one of the greatest fielders the game has seen, with his two direct hit run outs of Ian Harvey and Darren Berry in a 1997 Mercantile Mutual Cup match against Victoria among his showreel of career highlights.

"I imagine it would be in the ballpark of your Andrew Symonds or Dean Jones, in that calibre," fellow ODI great Mitchell Starc said when asked who he would name the cup after.

"(They're) guys that changed the way white-ball cricket was played … and dominated domestic cricket and brought that to the white-ball format for Australia as well."

Bevan and Jones have already been honoured by their respective states of NSW and Victoria with medals named after them awarded to their one-day player of the season, while the Andrew Symonds Medal is awarded to the Queensland best player across both formats as voted by their peers.

James Allsopp, CA's Chief of Cricket, added: "It is absolutely fitting that fan support has narrowed the shortlist to Michael Bevan, Dean Jones and Andrew Symonds and we know that whoever the trophy is named after in perpetuity will be thoroughly deserving of the honour.

"The level of engagement across CA's social channels and digital platforms clearly demonstrates the passion Australians have for our cricketing heroes at both domestic and international level."