All Aussie cricket fans recall our World Cup triumphs – the surprise victory in 1987, the classic thriller in 1999, the uncontested massacres in 2003, 2007 and 2015.
Most fans remember the brave efforts in 1975 and 1996, when we made the final but lost to a better team on the day.
Our collective memory tends not to be as sharp when it comes to remembering Australia’s World Cup disasters.
I thought I’d whip up a quick primer and see if I can find any parallels to this year’s competition.
1979
This is the least remembered World Cup of them all, lacking legendary games and feats.
Australia sent a team without its World Series Cup signees, but it wasn’t that bad a squad, still including players like Kim Hughes, Allan Border, Graham Yallop, Gary Cosier, Rodney Hogg and Alan Hurst.
Hardly anyone played well, though, outside of Andrew Hilditch, and Australia were thrashed by England and Pakistan and lucky to escape with a win against Canada.
Lessons to be learned? Pick your best players. And a dodgy middle order will cost you.
1983
A classic tournament, and a more famous disaster for Australia.
We fielded a very strong side – Greg Chappell pulled out, as he tended to do at the time when it came to overseas tours, but we still had players like Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh, Allan Border, Kim Hughes, David Hookes and Geoff Lawson.
Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson both represented Australia at the 1983 World Cup. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)
The team was plagued by infighting, however. Marsh and Lillee wanted Marsh to be captain rather than Hughes and weren’t terribly quiet about it.
Also, South African officials met up with players during the tournament to entice them on rebel tours.
Australia got off to a terrible start losing to newbie Zimbabwe, led by Duncan Fletcher.
They were thrashed by the West Indies, but then bounced back and beat India thanks to a century from Trevor Chappell and a six-for from Ken MacLeay.
Australia beat Zimbabwe in the rematch, then lost to the West Indies again and were spanked by India, who went on to win the tournament.
Lessons to be learned? Don’t take minnow teams for granted. Don’t fight amongst yourselves. Don’t make Kim Hughes captain. And a dodgy middle order will cost you.
1992
Following the 1987 World Cup, Australia had the best ODI side in the world, so everyone was pretty cocky about our chances of winning the cup at home in 1992.
The side was stuffed with champions, from Border and Dean Jones to the Waughs and Craig McDermott.
But New Zealand got the drop on us in the first game and Australia could never click, failing to make the semis.
At least the tournament was a cracker, with New Zealand, South Africa, England and Pakistan having great sides. The event was full of games and moments that are still remembered today.
Lessons to be learned? If you don’t click, you’re going to lose. Sometimes other countries can just be really good. And a dodgy middle order will cost you.
2011
Australia went on to play the next four World Cup finals, winning in 1999, 2003 and 2007.
But despite several of those players making the 2011 World Cup squad, that team never seemed to have a winning aura about it.
Ricky Ponting and Damien Fleming lifted the 1999 World Cup, but Punter had no such joy in 2011. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
We were coming off a thrashing in the 2010-11 Ashes, Ricky Ponting was in decline, the middle order never clicked… and it cost us.
Australia beat Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Kenya and Canada but lost to Pakistan and went down in the quarter-finals to eventual champions India.
So, any conclusions?
You know what sticks out looking at old scorecards? Australia’s bowling has always been pretty good. We’ve never – not even in 1979 – had a poor bowling attack.
And our top order has always been okay, even in 1979.
Where the World Cup gets won and lost for Australia is in the middle order. Batsmen around five to seven who come in and either do a rescue job or ram home the advantage.
In 1975, we had Ross Edwards and Doug Walters stepping up at key times. In 1987 it was Steve Waugh and Mike Veletta, in 1996 Steve Waugh, Stuart Law and Michael Bevan, in 1999 Steve Waugh and Bevan, in 2003 Andrew Symonds, Bevan and Darren Lehmann, in 2007 Shane Watson, then in 2015 Watson and Glenn Maxwell.
In our disastrous World Cup campaigns, the middle order failed to step up.
So if Maxwell, Stoinis and whoever else is down there click, then we have a chance.
If not, no matter how well our openers and bowlers do, it’s game over.
Peter Warrington
Guest
yeah because everybody did well in Pakistan back then, minus their best bowler and best batsman, local umps etc loved him to death? in what way?
Neel
Roar Guru
Mate, Shane Bond had so much to offer. That spell against the Aussies was fire. The Yorker he bowled to get Hoggy was unplayable as well. If only he didn’t get injured man. It’s sad what happened to him. He was way too injury-prone. He could have broken Hadlee’s record. Another spell of Shane Bond that I remember really well was the one against India in that Zimbabwe tri-series. The Indians had no clue how to play him in that game.
Mitchell Hall
Roar Rookie
How Australia had such a bad '83 World Cup with a line up consisting of Hughes, Border, Hookes, Lillee, Lawson, Hogg and Thomson i don't know!!! All battle hardened one day players at that time and containing arguably some all time greats along with the greatest fast bowler in the history of the game. Pakistan '82 minimum should of been the last Hurrah for Hughes as Captain. And if i may steal a quote. The selectors loved Kim Hughes to death.
Crock' O' Clock
Roar Rookie
Shane Bond though. Forget Binga. Could you imagine if the bloke stayed fit, or decided to forego a career as a Copper? I can't hate on the bloke. Just puts an exclamation on a Kiwi side, that was always a dark horse.
Matt from Armidale
Guest
There's a Handscomb sized hole in our middle order unfortunately. Big mistake not picking him.
Neel
Roar Guru
Mate, our batting was terrible but goodness gracious Binga was on fire in that World Cup. He clocked consistently around 150km/h in that game against us. That yorker Binga bowled to get rid of Andre Adams was fire. Unplayable.
Neel
Roar Guru
Great read mate. This World Cup, if Australia are to win, Maxwell, Smith and whoever is going to bat at 5 will be keys according to what you have written. Smith was vital in the last World Cup and was a huge reason why the Aussies won. He has scored 8 ODI tons with 1 ton resulting in a loss for the Aussies and in the last World Cup averaged 56.88 with 4 half-centuries and 1 vital ton in the semi against India.
danno
Guest
Don't peak too early like Oz 1992, beat the Windies in the Caribbean in 1991 and won the tri series at home against India and Windies. Boonie and Whits were the only ones to bring their A game, AB averaging 8 was not going to get it done.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Don't fight among ourselves, have a well established middle order. It's not looking good is it lol .. We can still do it though. Play well, take advantage of any luck they get, don't lose their heads when the luck goes against them and they'll be fine. If they play well enough they've got enough firepower to win it I reckon.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hi Peter. The senior player at the time did act poorly and have acknowledged it since. Sad time
Peter Warrington
Guest
Thommo and Lillee were dire in 83 Things got so bad that Hookes was punted for undermining Hughes Don't blame any of the players. Blame the Board for stuffing up: - the transfer from Lawry to Chappelli - choosing G Chappell instead of Marsh in 75 - picking Simmo - picking Yallop - picking Hughes - given it back to Chappell G after WSC - choosing Hughes for 81 Ashes - giving it back to chappell G for 81-2 - choosing Hughes for Pakistan 82 - giving it back to G Chappell 82-3 - choosing Hughes for 83 and 83-4 is it any wonder senior players kept picking sides?
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"Dear me! It must be company policy to pot Stoinis. " Regardless of your observations from the BBL stands Wesman, the facts are that Stoinis has averaged 24 with the bat across his past 20 ODIs, and his bowling has also been very ordinary in that period. He's only played 33 ODIs in total, so this form slump covers almost 2/3 of his ODI career. It's hardly a conspiracy, then, that pundits and fans are discussing this issue.
Wesman
Guest
Dear me! It must be company policy to pot Stoinis. Ditto some good but old baggy greens in the media. Fair enough, free speech being an election issue (yawn). But I can't cop it. In a way, he's more the pick of the people. His route, WA to Vic and back, is something but Stoinis really is a BBL product. He was there when the Star's v Renegade at the G in front of 80k+. So was I and while his contribution was average. He still stood out as he does, and some people don't like it and don't rate him. For a cricketer who rolled his arm for a lark, he showed promise. He's sharp at 140kph, but still learning. His batting does lack finesse a la Beva but there's no doubting his game. Solid defense, good eye and strong. I hope he Stars!
Stephen Vagg
Roar Guru
I would've gone (1) Warner (2) Finch (iwth Khawaja as next cab on the rank for either) (3) Smith (4) Handscomb (5) Maxwell (6) Turner
Targa
Guest
Final score 286/9 Cummins 4/32 off 8 overs
Targa
Guest
277/9 with an over to go. Another 100 for Will Young, but Henry Nicholls is out injured for the 2nd game in a row - hopefully nothing serious
The Bush
Roar Guru
Smith at his best is capable of lifting the run rate at the end, assuming his eye is in. He couldn't bat any lower than 5, but he is certainly more than capable of getting the job done in a manner that Handscomb would have. It's just a shame, because his record higher up the order is great. In an ideal world you'd have Smith and Handscomb at 3 and 4, with hitters at 5 and 6. But we have to make do with what we have.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hi Giri. Something that I think was big in the ‘Aust’ teams at the time was the leadership group, how driven it was or could be. You read the books by the people involved at the time, things went bad or the occasion was coming, their mindset was they could defend or come back if being down, if they hand to knuckle down, take it on the body. Guys would.
Crock' O' Clock
Roar Rookie
Don't worry mate. The pain you have with Bevan, is the same as I have had with watching Kohli, Dhoni, Sharma or Dharwan chase down 300 plus on majority of occasions. Who am I kidding. Every team chases 300 and wins against the Aussies. Uh geez.....
Stephen Vagg
Roar Guru
I remember that game - they were just unlucky Bevan was one of the all time great rescue artists. If it makes you feel any better you did roll us in 1992! I reckon the semis of this one will be between England, India, NZ and South Africa - not that that's v patriotic of me.