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Australia has been the best one-day nation on the planet in this century.
Three World Cup wins and away series victories against every nation in this span has seen the Australian men remain consistently among the best, despite their fluctuating Test performances.
This run of form has obviously come off the back of the standout talent that Australia has churned out for generations.
While the dominant, all-round skill sets of their cricketers from the early oughts may have faded in this Twenty20 age, Australia has always boasted superior talent and aggression.
The best Australian ODI XII has been named before, on Cricinfo and right here on The Roar, but it’s time to pick the best team of the past 15 years.
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» Watch: Second ODI highlights
Rules
Without rules, society descends into chaos, and this team would just be Ian Harvey, Doug Bollinger and nine Glenn Maxwell clones, so some rules must be observed.
• The period of eligibility begins with the 2000-01 series against the West Indies and Zimbabwe, because a century begins in year one, not in year zero.
• There will be no legacy picks for players who were terrific in the 1990s. This is the Mark Waugh rule. Waugh is probably in the best Australian ODI XI of all time, but he only played until 2002, so his body of work post-2000 isn’t enough to squeeze him into the side.
• Selection is based on overall career, rather than peak performance; the Shaun Tait rule. Tait was dominant in the 2007 World Cup, yet was never a mainstay of the side and if he was he would have found a home in the starting 11.
• The team is going to be made up to win. With this batting line-up I could probably pick six bowlers and with this bowling line-up I could probably pick four batsmen. But this team will include a wicketkeeper, four specialist bowlers (the 12th man is reserved for a spinner or fourth seamer) and at least one all-rounder.
Enough with the rules, let’s pick the team.
All stats come via Cricinfo and are between Janurary 1, 2001, and December 31, 2015.
Adam Gilchrist
6517 runs, 36.82 average, 288 catches, 36 stumpings
While he played 99 ODIs before 2000, Gilchrist is the best wicketkeeper-batsman to don the canary yellow and is among the best in any colour (shout-outs to Kumar Sangakkara and Andy Flower). Gilchrist’s ability to go at a run a ball in an era that was only beginning to consider the prospect was extraordinary – had he come along 15 years later, he would be the best T20 opener in the game.
A tireless worker behind the stumps, Gilchrist always thought of himself as a keeper first, batsman second, and his glove work was excellent.
Matthew Hayden
5656 runs, 45.61 average, 61 catches
Often strangely unloved by the selectors, Hayden sits comfortably as the only regular opener in both formats in the rare 50-40 club as (averaging above 50 in Tests, and above 40 in ODIs).
Hayden’s powerful, dominating game was always going to suit one-day cricket, and he was consistent alongside Gilchrist as a devastating opening pair. Hayden averaged below 37 for a calendar year only once in the millennium.
Ricky Ponting (captain)
9986 runs, 42.86 average, 128 catches
Australia’s greatest ODI batsman, Ponting’s ability to score anywhere on the ground he pleased made him impossible to stop when in form. His power was such that he scored 98 not out in the first ever T20 international, something that wouldn’t be bettered for two years.
Not only did Ponting win matches with the bat, he revolutionised fielding with his throwing accuracy and sure hands. When he patrolled the point region in the closing stages of an innings, it was easy to see why he is probably Australia’s best ever fielder.
Ponting led his nation in 230 matches, which included two World Cup wins, the first of which was set up by his glorious, unbeaten 140.
Shane Watson
5757 runs, 40.54 average, 168 wickets, 31.79 average
While the jury will forever be out on whether he lived up to his ability in white clothes, Watson is comfortably Australia’s best ever limited-overs all-rounder. Steve Waugh is the only player to take more than 150 wickets and score more than 2000 runs for Australia, and he played 135 more matches than Watson.
When Gilchrist and Hayden retired from the top of the order in the closing stages of the ’00s, Watson stepped in immediately with his intimidating power game.
Watson’s mediums were a constant source of control for his captain, and an economy rate of 4.95 is fantastic considering he was often used at the death in an era where batsmen were expanding their aggression.
Michael Clarke (vice-captain)
7981 runs, 44.58 average, 57 wickets, 106 catches
As talented a batsman as Australia has produced since the Sydney Olympics, Clarke’s fluent batting stood out for the green and gold. ‘Pup’ was particularly brilliant overseas, averaging 45.49 in a time that his nation was becoming increasingly beatable away from home.
Clarke began to look sluggish as T20 power games replaced his traditional style, but his 74 to secure the World Cup was a terrific way to go out.
Andrew Symonds
4611 runs, 41.17 average, 110 wickets, 39.56 average
As troubled as he may have been off the field, Symonds was electric on it. After his breakout century against Pakistan at the 2003 World Cup, Symonds scored more than 700 runs each year for five years, at an average in the mid 40s. His handy off-spin and medium pace often filled a hole as the fifth or sixth bowler, and at his best, Symonds was as dangerous in the field as Ponting.
Michael Hussey
5442 runs, 48.15 average, 87.16 strike rate, 105 catches
Hindsight shows how remarkable it was that Hussey had to wait so long to play international cricket, because as soon as he did he was as unstoppable.
Often reaching the crease at the midway point of an innings, Hussey’s ability to keep the scoreboard ticking before a run explosion late was central to many victories.
Hussey debuted the same month as Michael Bevan played his last ODI, and he stepped straight into the role as the finisher.
Mitchell Starc
90 wickets, 19.65 average, 24.2 strike rate
It’s a testament to Starc’s brilliance that he makes the cut in this team, despite having only been a consistent member of the team for the past few years. Only Scotland’s Josh Davey and the great Ryan Harris have better strike rates than Starc in ODIs, and neither have taken 50 wickets. He has already taken as many five-wicket hauls as Shaun Pollock in 257 fewer matches.
Starc’s in-dipping yorker is the most dangerous prospect in world cricket, and with good health he is on track to become Australia’s greatest ever limited overs bowler.
Brett Lee
346 wickets, 23.47 average, 59 highest score
Bowling outswing at 150 kilometres an hour gets a lot of wickets, and Lee took a lot of wickets wearing the number 58 shirt. Lee continually developed as a bowler, as proved by his excellent performances in T20 cricket in his late 30s.
Lee was consistently excellent for nearly 13 years, including his remarkable year in 2005 where he took 51 wickets at less than 20 apiece.
Glenn McGrath
198 wickets, 20.53 average, 7-15 best bowling
It can never be said enough how much of a champion McGrath was. His consistent bowling will always be his trademark and his record reflects that consistency and longevity.
McGrath’s best two years in terms of strike rate were his first and last – 1993 and 2007. His record post-2000 speaks of his durability and McGrath’s 2007 World Cup was a masterpiece, where he took 26 wickets in 11 matches, yet didn’t take more than three in any individual match.
Brad Hogg
153 wickets, 25.94 average, 71 high score
Even as he ticks past his 45th birthday, George Bradley Hogg is still punking fools with his wrong’un. While it took him a couple of years to find his feet post Shane Warne’s retirement, Hogg ended up with a better strike rate than The King. Between 2004 and 2007, Hogg took 111 wickets at 24 apiece, and was clearly one of the best ODI spinners on the planet.
12th man – Mitchell Johnson
239 wickets, 25.26 average, 73 not out high score
Johnson sits comfortably in fourth position for most ODI wickets taken by an Australian and fills the role of the fourth paceman. While his form in the Test arena fluctuated throughout the years, his one-day form was consistent, and the fact he excelled in Asia shows he wasn’t always limited to the fast, bouncy pitches of Australia.
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