In 1977/8 Kerry Packer financed a breakaway cricket movement by signing up top players from Australia, the West Indies and other cricket nations around the world. Three sides were constructed: an Australian team, a West Indian team and a World team, with the World teams including some West Indians too. The teams played a mixture of unofficial Test matches, styled as Supertests, and unofficial ODIs. Unlike the Australian players, who were barred from playing official cricket until the rift was healed after the 1978/9 season, the West Indian players were permitted to play official cricket as well as compete in World Series Cricket.