Credit: ICC
The Australian cricket team, have, quite frankly, always been the mavericks and heroes of international competitive cricket. More often than not, they contest in the John Wick Mode, firing opening salvos in contests to assert themselves early on over an opponent and then tend to always find a way to make an awesome comeback just when it seems that their chips are down.
From the days of the great Sir Don, to the times of the fabulous Victor Trumper, to the era of the great and original AB (Alan Border) and ultimately, to the decades that were pioneered and dominated by Warne, the Waugh Brothers, and McGrath before ultimately, the likes of Ponting and later, Smith, Cummins and Warner ruled the charts- Australia haven't just brought out their A game in Cricket.
They've risen like a phoenix and become a bastion of cricketing glory and excellence. This time around too, they'd like to win the WTC final in England and theirs, quite frankly, has been a story of heartening triumphs and spirited wins in the way they've played and dominated Test match cricket for a little over last two summers.
Here's how they made it to the coveted WTC finals:
The Ashes
Drawn 2-2(5)
Undoubtedly, the pinnacle of competition for both England and Australia and the peak of test cricket being at its best, this recent Ashes contest may have ended in a draw for Australia, but it was a moment to savour for the visiting Australian side, who at the end of the 5-Test contets, emerged with their chin up.
The reason?
They didn't go down losing to archrivals England in England.
As a matter of fact, early on in The Ashes, so dominant was the Australian display that they'd lose a Test only by the time the mid stage of the competition arrive at Headingley. Prior to that, Aussies had dominated the show at Edgbaston and Lord's, where in the former contest Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins held a special stand in the middle although the icing on the cake was Usman Khawaja's dogged 141 run knock. In the latter contest, at Lord's, the Australian bowling's targetted attack of England via a barrage of short balls played the anchor to the win, however, it was the fantastic sight of Alex Carey's stumping of Bairstow that left Stokes' team in the dumps.
After losing out to England at Headingly, an old hunting ground of the dominant hosts, the fourtth contest at Old Trafford ended in a draw, a contest where Crawley and Labuschagne both hit imperious centuries and defied their respective opponents given their bowling arsenal. Rain, too, played its part on that occasion.
Moving on to the final Test at the famed Oval ground saw Moeen Ali, then an active cricketer for English national duties, sparked a collapse courtesy a 4 for 11 in his final test, which was despite Smith and Travis Head looking well set at the score of 264 for 3. In a matter that was both emotional and dramatic, Stuart Broad, who was playing his last ever test took a wicket off the final delivery of his spell to swing England back into the control and eventually, the winning of the test.
What an Ashes that was in which Australia fought fire to fire against a heavy-duty England side.
Test series vs Pakistan
Thrashed the vistors: 3-0(3)
The thrashing of Pakistan who played Tests at Perth, Melbourne and Sydney led to cataclysmic defeats for the visitors; the hosts had made lightwork of their opponents, winning each of the contest played in that series by massive margins, such as the 360 run win at WACA, which was followed by a 79 run triumph at Melbourne, before finally thudding Pakistan at Sydney for 8 wickets.
On occasions, Pat Cummins would emerge with the big hurrahs and on other, David Warner with the pounding of his bat and when not, then Josh Hazlewood, who would reduce Pak to 68 for the loss of 7 at the SCG. It was then, where David Warner, an Aussie legend, signed off from the format with a matchwinning fifty.
Test series vs the West Indies
Drew the contests: 1-1(2)
Before the West Indies stunned Australia in that surprising, unpredictable and very refreshing win at Brisbane, all thanks to Test cricket newcomer, Shamar Joseph's magical spell, his finest ever as a first time bowler for Windies in Australia, an exhibition of viciously fast bowling that led to 7 for 68 in the second inning, it was the Aussies who had fired the opening salvo, beating Windies by 10 wickets at Adelaide.
The contests produced a test defeat that came as a shock to Australia but again, the hosts didn't lose the series.
Test series vs New Zealand
Won comprehensively by 2-0(2)
Thrashing someone like a New Zealand has been a sign of great joy for Australia, who have often dominated the trans-tasman rivalry, and this time around as well, their nature of triumph over the Kiwis was really dominant. At Wellington, Green and Lyon led the charge with Hazlewood being involved in a last-wicket stand of 116, would anyone have believed it? Lyon's ten-wicket haul on a turning wicket saved the day in the end of the marvellous Aussies.
A victory by just 3 wickets at Christchurch followed not too long after the Aussies prevailed in the opening test and this win was largely due to Mitch Marsh and Alex Carey trumping for Australia against a seemingly resurgent but ultimately, defeated New Zealand unit.
Test series vs India
Won comprehensively by a margin of 3-1 with one drawn contest
A great Test series win versus India enabled Australia to reach the top of the roost with great games won at Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, the final contest Matthew Kuhnemann's decisive five wicket haul upon his (then) debut game lifting the Aussies. Earlier in the contests, Sam Konstas made an exhilarating debut at Melbourne, proved to be quite a sight for the mighty Aussies, not once did the young batter seem out of place when facing Bumrah.
Although Nitish Kumar Reddy too, made a cracking first test hundred, but Australia couldn't be denied what they always have fought so hard for: triumph in test match cricket.
However, the finest part about Australia dominating India in that series was the fact that the hosts had lost the opening game itself to India, where at Perth, they lost the contest by a massive margin of 295 runs.
And then came the turnaroud, of a Tsunami-esque nature in the contests that followed.
Test series vs Sri Lanka
Won comprehensively by a margin of 2-0(2)
An innings and 242 run victory at Galle, followed by another 9 wicket win at this very venue proved to be a difficult bulelt to swallow for the hosts Sri Lanka. However, the island pearl nation had suffered thanks to an excellent showing by the Aussies in both departments of the game, Khawaja making a beautiful 232, followed by fabulous tons by Smith and debutant Josh Inglis.
In the second test, even as Chandimal and Mendis threatened to take the game away from the Aussies, the spin duo of Kuhneman and Lyon took 14 wickets among them to cut short a possible Sri Lankan fightback.
What contests, what supremacy displayed by the indomitable Aussies, who prevailed thanks to all around excellence and maturity in the end. And thus, find themselves playing once again at Lord's in the next few hours.
