b'Howzat? The launch ofWorld Series CricketTelevision arrived in Australia in 1956, just in time formuch for Packer to convince the best players to join his the Melbourne Olympics. On 16 September 1956 thoseteams. In secret Packer signed players from across the globe fortunate enough to own a television tuned in to Australiasand established his own cricket competition World Series first television network, TCN-9. Others peered throughCricketdividing the international cricketing community shop windows to catch a glimpse of Bruce Gyngell as heand upending the economics and culture of the game. Allen came to life on the screen and said the historic words,Allen & Hemsley assisted with the contracts, led by Jim Good evening, and welcome to television. TCN-9 (which Thynne who would later become chairman. The firm also became the Nine Network), was owned by Sir Frank Packer,employed South African batsman Keppler Wessels for a a longstanding client of Allen Allen & Hemsley.period as a paralegal.There was great excitement with the initial launch ofBy the time World Series Cricket was launched, thirty-five television, however, it was the introduction of colourleading international players had signed up. Allens advised images in 1975 that really brought the small screen to life.Packer during the legal battles that followed. The biggest TCN-9 was by then led by Sir Franks son Kerry, who provedof these took place in the High Court in London when the to be an aggressive businessperson like his father. InspiredInternational Cricket Council (ICC) tried to prevent World by sports broadcasts in the US, Kerry saw the potentialSeries Cricket players from participating in first-class cricket for broadcasting cricket on colour television. In 1976 hematches. Linklaters & Paines (now Linklaters) was engaged approached the Australian Cricket Board with an offer toto advise on the English proceedings. Justice Slade ruled in televise the 19771978 cricket season, famously saying,favour of Packer, holding that the ICCs ban amounted to an There is a little bit of the whore in all of us, gentlemen.unreasonable restraint of trade and an attempt to induce What is your price? Despite being offered $1.5 millionplayers to breach their contract with World Series Cricket. seven times the value of the existing contract with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) the AustralianFew spectators attended the first season of World Series Cricket Board stuck by their handshake agreement with theCricket but the following year, when the lights were turned ABC and rejected his offer.on at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the first day/night match, the stands were filled with a near-capacity crowd. Packer was incensed and decided that if the AustralianPacker had brought fresh colour and life to the game and, Cricket Board wouldnt let him play, he would beat themafter just two seasons, the Australian Cricket Board gave at their own game. In the 1970s tennis and golf playersPacker his much sought after broadcasting rights and a were generously rewarded for their efforts, while mostcontract to market and promote cricket in Australia. The cricketers earned barely enough to live on. It did not takechanges he made are still evident in the game today.158'