The matches attracted small crowds and were not competitive, in part because the ICC World XI had only one warm-up game to gel as a team.

The ICC's intention was to showcase the world's best players and provide a close contest with Australia, who had dominated international cricket for several years.

In this climate, the concept of gathering the world's best players into one team to challenge them was born, and the ICC Super Series was developed.

The Australian squads were announced on 20 September, and the axe fell on the lacklustre performers on the team during the recent Ashes series.

The selection panel comprised:[2] The shortlist they named was: Andrew Flintoff (England), Steve Harmison (England), Michael Vaughan (England), Rahul Dravid (India), Virender Sehwag (India), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Anil Kumble (India), Brendon McCullum (New Zealand), Daniel Vettori (New Zealand), Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan), Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan), Younis Khan (Pakistan), Mark Boucher (South Africa), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Makhaya Ntini (South Africa), Shaun Pollock (South Africa), Graeme Smith (South Africa), Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), Brian Lara (West Indies), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) The ICC World squads were announced on 23 August 2005, with additions on 23 September due to injuries to two players.

Of the players in the final squads, five were from South Africa, three each were from England and Pakistan, two each were from India, Sri Lanka and West Indies, and one was from New Zealand.

Apart from fixtures in which Caribbean islands and territories of the former British Empire compete together as the West Indies, this was the first official Test match not between two countries.

(Although arguably this overlooks the anomaly related to the West Indies, as well as the fact that Australia and South Africa both competed in what are now deemed test matches in the nineteenth century prior to formal political unification.)

Conversely, Tony Greig, who played for the Rest of the World against Australia in 1971–1972, said "My understanding of the status of first-class and Test cricket is related to the standard of the players.

Andrew Flintoff came up with some refreshingly honest statements amidst all the bullish officials: "I've got the Super Series in two weeks' time.

"[8] Captain Graeme Smith admitted to frustration in the aftermath of the series, saying he found it hard to deal with the fact that there weren't any repercussions to 'losing so badly'[9] In a practice match preceding the first One Day International, a fifty over game was arranged against a strong Victorian side.

But after that wickets fell regularly, with the spinners Muralitharan and Vettori working their way steadily through the middle order to restrict Australia to 8 for 255 at the end of their 50 overs.

They lost five of their top six batsmen – Sehwag, Kallis, Lara, Dravid and Pietersen – for single figures, to collapse to 5 for 82 inside 22 overs.

On 276, Ponting failed to beat Flintoff to the stumps at the other end and Martyn was bowled next ball, giving the World XI a sniff.