5 iconic cricketing series and the reasons for their names

3 The Basil D'Oliveira Trophy

Alastair Cook with the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy

The England-South Africa contest is the second oldest Test series in the world and the first Test series between the two was played way back in 1888-89 in South Africa.

The series between the two nations has been known as the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy and the first one was contested in South Africa in 2004-05. Basil D'Oliveira was a South African born cricketer, who played for England and after he was selected by the England selectors for the tour to tour his country of birth in 1958, the South African administrators refused to play if a man of colour was part of the visiting team.

The tour was cancelled and South Africa were eventually booted out from international cricket. The name of the trophy is hence quite apt and pays tribute to a cricketer, who had been treated shabbily by the South African cricket administrators.

The two countries have contested 6 times for the trophy and England hold the advantage, having won it three times as opposed to South Africa's two.

One series was drawn. England are the current holders of the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy, having beaten the visiting South Africans 3-1 in a four test series earlier this year.