Prime Minister's XI

The Prime Minister's XI or PM's XI (formerly Australian Prime Minister's Invitation XI) is an invitational cricket team picked by the Prime Minister of Australia—assisted by the Australian national selectors.^[1] They play once a year as a warm-up match to an official test match. All matches are held at Manuka Oval in Canberra against an overseas touring team.

In 1962–63, Sir Donald Bradman came out of retirement to play for the Prime Minister's XI against the Marylebone Cricket Club. It was the last time Bradman ever played competitive cricket, and he was freakishly bowled by Brian Statham for just four runs. When Bradman returned to the pavilion, he told then-Prime Minister Robert Menzies, "It wouldn't happen in a thousand years. Anyway, that's my final appearance at the wicket."^[2]

In 2003, there was a match between the PM's XI and an ATSIC Chairperson's XI held at Adelaide Oval.^[3]

The match on 2 December 2005 had to end early due to the Canberra storms, with Australia getting 4/316, and West Indies finishing in the 31st over at 3/174. The PM's XI won by six runs using the Duckworth-Lewis method, the first time in the fixture's history to be decided using the method.

In 2014, the Prime Minister's XI suffered the biggest defeat in the history of the match against England after being bowled out for just 92.^[4]

In 2016, an annual Governor-General's XI was introduced for women cricketers, inspired by the prime-minister's XI. It was first instigated by governor-general Peter Cosgrove, who offered to support such a match after hearing that no prime minister's XI existed for female cricket. The first match was a Twenty20 match held at Drummoyne Oval against India.^{[6] [7]}

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