Australia has today officially taken possession of Test cricket's world championship trophy.

Five months after his country's team was officially anointed the world's strongest Test outfit, Australian Cricket Board (ACB) Chief Executive James Sutherland was formally presented with the mace in a special ceremony at the Board's offices in Melbourne.

Australia became the inaugural number one when the new championship commenced operation in May, and a ceremony marking its achievement was staged in the team's presence at Edgbaston in July.

Until today, though, the home of the trophy itself has been Lord's.

Produced in silver and gold and bearing the logos of all ten Test playing countries, the 90-centimetre long mace is a spectacular creation. Specially commissioned by the International Cricket Council, it was designed and conceived by the prestigious London jeweller, Asprey & Garrard and is valued at $A100,000.

Australia's standing as the world's most formidable Test team has been established on the basis of its results in home-and-away series against each of its rivals over a period that dates all the way back to 1997.

Unlike trophies such as the Ashes urn, the Test championship model will not remain confined to a single location. Within a short period that follows any change at the top of the championship table, the mace will head to the headquarters of the new occupant of the number one position.

Such a change in ownership of the top ranking could occur as early as January, when second-placed South Africa has the opportunity to topple the Australians in the three-Test series to be played on Australian soil.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd