When Australian cricketers played cricket wearing shorts instead of…

In the long, storied history of cricket, we’ve seen some wild experiments – aluminum bats, pink balls, and even strobe-light bails. But nothing quite matches the summer of 1994-95, when the Victorian Bushrangers decided that the key to winning the Mercantile Mutual Cup wasn’t just better bowling, it was showing a little more leg.

In a move that left traditionalists clutching their pearls and fans rubbing their eyes, the Victorian team ditched their traditional long trousers for shorts and bike pants.

The ‘Why’ Behind the Thighs

The mid-90s were a time of massive marketing experimentation in Australian domestic cricket. The Mercantile Mutual Cup was famous for its “hit the sign” prizes and dodgy TV ads. Wanting to stand out and perhaps gain a ‘cooling’ advantage in the sweltering Aussie summer, the Victorian Cricket Association pulled the trigger on the most bizarre kit change in history.

Led by the legendary Dean Jones, the Vics stepped onto the field looking more like a group of cyclists or AFL players than cricketers. It was a kit that shouldn’t have worked, but on the field, it was impossible to ignore.

Shorts, Bike Pants, and Silverware

While the look was mocked by rival teams and commentators, the results were undeniable. Whether it was the increased mobility or the sheer distraction caused by their knees, Victoria was unstoppable.

The experiment reached its peak at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the final against South Australia. Behind magnificent four-wicket hauls from Troy Corbett and Jason Bakker, the “Short-Sleeved” Vics bundled South Australia out for just 169. Dean Jones and the boys chased it down with ease, claiming their first one-day title since 1979.

A ‘Short-Lived’ Legacy

Despite lifting the trophy and proving the kit’s ‘effectiveness,’ the experiment didn’t survive the off-season. Perhaps it was the aesthetic backlash, or maybe the players realized that sliding for a catch on a dry outfield in shorts was a recipe for disaster.

By the following season, the Vics were back in long trousers, making the 1994-95 campaign a singular, sun-kissed anomaly in the cricket history books. It remains a legendary piece of Aussie cricket folklore, the year the Bushrangers proved that you don’t need long pants to have a long reach for the trophy.