Wisden Trophy to be renamed as Richard-Botham Trophy from next edition

First awarded in the 1963 season, as part of the hundredth anniversary of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, the prestigious trophy has been a long-standing tradition between West Indies and England. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that the 57-year-old tradition would come to a close following the ongoing three-match Test series.

Furthermore, from the future, the series would be named after Vivian Richards and Ian Botham, two of the respective country’s stalwarts as Richard-Botham Trophy. Both the cricketing titans expressed their delight over naming the prestigious series after their names. Against England, the Antiguan cricketer averages 62.36, with over 2869 runs cumulatively from the home and away series. 

“I am delighted to know that the game that I have shown my love for since a little boy is naming such a prestigious award in recognition of what I managed to achieve as a cricketer. When I had the opportunity to go to England and represent Somerset, one of the first people I met was Ian Botham, who would later become of one my best friends. We are friends for life,” said Viv Richards, reported Hindustan Times. 

On the other hand, the English all-rounder took 61 wickets against the Windies side during his playing career. Talking about the new name, Botham added that he hopes the future series continues to be as exciting as the ones thus far. 

“Playing the West Indies was always one of the toughest tests in cricket, and it’s an honour for this trophy to bear our names. I hope future series will be just as exciting as the one we’ve all been enjoying this summer,” Botham added.