The 2005 Edgbaston Test

Lore & Background

The Australian cricket team participated in the first Test match at the MCG in 1877. They defeated England by 45 runs, with Charles Bannerman making the first Test century with a score of 165. One of the highlights of Australia's early history was the 1882 Test match against England at The Oval, where Fred Spofforth took 7/44 in the fourth innings, helping Australia win by 7 runs as England fell short of their 85-run target. After this match, The Sporting Times printed a mock obituary proclaiming the death of English cricket and that 'the body was cremated and the ashes taken to Australia,' starting the Ashes series. The 'Golden Age' of Australian Test cricket occurred around the end of the 19th century, concluding at the beginning of the 20th century, with the team under the captaincy of Joe Darling, Monty Noble and Clem Hill, winning eight of ten tours. Victor Trumper became one of Australia's first sporting heroes. The 1930 tour of England heralded a new age of success, with Don Bradman scoring a record 974 runs. The 1932–33 England tour of Australia is infamous for the England team's use of bodyline.

Reader's Guide

The national team has played 884 Test matches, winning 427, losing 236, 219 drawn and with 2 tied. Australia is first in the ICC Test Rankings. Australia have won the ICC World Test Championship once, defeating India in the final of the 2021–2023 World Test Championship. Test rivalries centre on The Ashes (with England), the Border–Gavaskar Trophy (with India), the Frank Worrell Trophy (with the West Indies), the Trans-Tasman Trophy (with New Zealand), and matches against South Africa. The team has played 1,025 ODI matches, winning 619, losing 362, tying 9 and with 35 ending in a no-result. Australia is ranked third in the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings. Australia have won the World Cup a record six times: 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, and 2023. Australia have also won the ICC Champions Trophy twice (2006 and 2009). Australia has played 229 Twenty20 International matches, winning 127, losing 92, tying 3, and with 7 ending in a no-result. Australia is ranked second in the ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings. Australia have won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup once, defeating New Zealand in the 2021 Final.

Did You Know?

• Australia is the only team to appear in four consecutive World Cup finals (1996, 1999, 2003, and 2007) and the only team to win three consecutive World Cups (1999, 2003, and 2007).
• The team was undefeated in 34 consecutive World Cup matches until the 2011 Cricket World Cup where Pakistan beat them by four wickets in the Group stage.
• On 12 January 2019, Australia won an ODI against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground by 34 runs, to record their 1,000th win in international cricket.