AUS Bio

The Australian Cricket Team, in most eras, is probably the most successful team in world cricket. Along with England, it is the oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877 (defeating England by 45 runs). It has also led the ICC Test Championship table for a major period of time since the creation of the ICC Test table system in January 2001. The South African Cricket Team did lead this table for a brief period in 2003, before Australia resumed the first position on the table.
The team has won many accolades – leading the ODI Championship table regularly and also being named World Team of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards in recognition of their world record sequence of Test match victories. Some of the world’s greatest cricketers have been Australian with Sir Don Bradman being right up there in the list of illustrious cricketers. Allan Border, Ian Healy, Steve Waugh, and more recently Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne have been splendid examples of Aussie cricketing genius. Ricky Ponting, another Aussie legend has been the most successful captain in Tests as well as ODIs. For over 100 years, the Kangaroos have been famously engaging in a cricket war with their arch-rivals, England in a series called “The Ashes” and have dominated the win percentage for most of the years. The only disconcerting feature of Australian cricket has been its players resorting to sledging which sometimes, doesn’t go down too well with oppositions.
Australia have won four Cricket World Cups, out of which three have come in succession - 1987, 1999, 2003, and 2007. Australia had been undefeated in a staggering 34 consecutive World Cup matches, until Pakistan ended the streak by beating them in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. However, Australia’s hopes of winning their fourth consecutive title too, were shattered when they were knocked out of the World Cup by India in the quarter-finals.