Australia national cricket team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Australia

Australian cricket coat of arms
Nickname(s)	Baggy Greens Aussies
Association	Cricket Australia
Personnel
Test captain	Pat Cummins
One Day captain	Pat Cummins
T20I captain	Mitch Marsh
Coach	Andrew McDonald
History
Test status acquired	1877
Hong Kong Sixes wins	1
International Cricket Council
ICC status	Full Member (1909)
ICC region	East Asia-Pacific
ICC Rankings Current Best-ever Test 1st 1st (1 January 1952) ODI 2nd 1st (1 January 1990) T20I 2nd 1st (1 May 2020)
Tests
First Test	v.  England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne; 15–19 March 1877
Last Test	v.  New Zealand at Hagley Oval, Christchurch; 8–11 March 2024
Tests Played Won/Lost Total 866 414/232 (218 draws, 2 ties) This year 5 4/1 (0 draws)
World Test Championship appearances	2 (first in 2021)
Best result	Champions (2023)
One Day Internationals
First ODI	v.  England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne; 5 January 1971
Last ODI	v.  Pakistan at Perth Stadium, Perth; 10 November 2024
ODIs Played Won/Lost Total 1,008 613/352 (9 ties, 34 no results) This year 11 7/4 (0 ties, 0 no results)
World Cup appearances	13 (first in 1975)
Best result	Champions (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2023)
Twenty20 Internationals
First T20I	v.  New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland; 17 February 2005
Last T20I	v.  Pakistan at Bellerive Oval, Hobart; 18 November 2024
T20Is Played Won/Lost Total 203 112/84 (3 ties, 4 no results) This year 21 17/4 (0 tie, 0 no results)
T20 World Cup appearances	8 (first in 2007)
Best result	Champions (2021)
Test kit ODI kit T20I kit
As of 18 November 2024

The Australia national cricket team represents Australia in men's international cricket. It is one of the oldest teams in Test cricket history. They played in the first ever Test match in 1877.

The team also plays One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket. They played in the first ODI in 1971 and the first T20I in 2005. Australia won both of these first matches.

Players for the national team come from Australian domestic competitions. These include the Sheffield Shield, the Australian domestic limited-overs cricket tournament, and the Big Bash League. Australia is known as one of the most successful cricket teams ever. They are the current ICC World Test Championship and ICC Cricket World Cup champions.

The team has played 866 Test matches. They have won 414 and lost 232, with 218 draws and 2 ties. Australia is ranked first in the ICC Test Championship. They won the ICC World Test Championship in 2023, beating India.

Australia has strong rivalries in Test cricket. These include The Ashes against England. Other rivalries are the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with India. They also play for the Frank Worrell Trophy against the West Indies. The Trans-Tasman Trophy is played against New Zealand.

Australia has played 1,008 ODI matches. They have won 613 and lost 352. They have appeared in a record eight World Cup finals. Australia has won the World Cup a record six times. They are the first team to play in four straight World Cup finals. They are also the first and only team to win three World Cups in a row. Australia has won the ICC Champions Trophy twice.

The team has played 203 Twenty20 International matches. They have won 112 and lost 84. Australia won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in 2021. This was achieved by beating New Zealand in the final.

On January 12, 2019, Australia won its 1,000th international cricket match. This was an ODI against India in Sydney.

Australia holds both the World Test Champions and World Cup Champions titles from 2023. They won the Test Championship against India in London. They won the World Cup against India in Ahmedabad.

History of Australian Cricket

Early Beginnings

The Australian team that toured England in 1878

The Australian cricket team played in the very first Test match in 1877. This game was at the MCG. Australia beat England by 45 runs. In this match, Charles Bannerman scored the first Test century.

Early Test cricket was only between Australia and England. Travel between the two countries took months by sea. Even with a smaller population, Australia was very competitive. Famous early players included Jack Blackham and Fred "The Demon" Spofforth.

A famous moment happened in 1882 against England. Fred Spofforth took 7 wickets for 44 runs. This stopped England from reaching their target of 85 runs. After this game, a London newspaper joked that English cricket had "died." It said "the body was cremated and the ashes taken to Australia." This joke started the famous Ashes series. It is one of the biggest rivalries in sports today.

A Golden Era of Dominance

The 'Golden Age' for Australian Test cricket was around the late 1800s and early 1900s. The team, led by captains like Joe Darling and Clem Hill, won eight out of ten tours.

Great batsmen like Victor Trumper became national heroes. He was considered Australia's best batsman before Don Bradman. Trumper played 49 Tests and scored 3163 runs. He sadly passed away at age 37, causing national sadness.

The Bradman Era

The 1930 tour of England brought new success. The team was led by Bill Woodfull. It included legends like Bill Ponsford and Don Bradman. Bradman was amazing, scoring a record 974 runs in the series. This included a huge score of 334 runs in one game.

The 1932–33 England tour was controversial. England used a tactic called "bodyline." Bowlers aimed fast balls at the Australian batsmen's bodies. This caused injuries and made Australian fans very angry. The tactic was later banned.

Bradman (left, with his vice-captain Stan McCabe) walks out to bat at Perth, during a preliminary match to the 1938 tour of England. Bradman scored 102.

Sir Donald Bradman is seen as the greatest batsman ever. He dominated cricket from 1930 to 1948. He set records for most runs and centuries. His Test batting average of 99.94 has never been beaten. He was knighted in 1949 for his services to cricket.

Post-War Success

After Second World War, Australia continued to be very successful. They were undefeated throughout the 1940s. They won two Ashes series against England. They also won their first Test series against India.

The team had aging stars like Bradman and new talents like Neil Harvey and Ray Lindwall. The 1948 team led by Don Bradman was called The Invincibles. They went through the whole tour without losing a single game.

The 1950s were a bit tougher, with Australia losing three Ashes series. But the team bounced back in the late 1950s under captains like Richie Benaud. The series against the West Indies in 1960–61 had the first ever Tied Test match.

World Series Cricket and Changes

In 1977, Kerry Packer started a new cricket competition called World Series Cricket (WSC). Many top Australian players joined WSC. This meant the national team had to pick less experienced players. Former player Bob Simpson came out of retirement to captain the team at age 41.

The WSC players returned in 1979. Greg Chappell became captain again. In 1981, a famous incident happened in an ODI against New Zealand. Greg Chappell told his brother Trevor to bowl the last ball underarm. This was seen as unsportsmanlike.

The 1980s were a difficult time for Australian cricket. Some top players joined unofficial tours to South Africa. These players were banned, which weakened the team.

Modern Golden Era

The late 20th and early 21st centuries saw another 'Golden Era' for Australian cricket. The team became arguably the strongest Test team in history.

Under captain Allan Border and coach Bob Simpson, the team rebuilt. Players like Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor, Glenn McGrath, and Shane Warne emerged. Australia won the Ashes in 1989 and kept winning.

The 1990s and early 2000s were very successful. Australia rarely lost an Ashes series. They also won three World Cups in a row. This success was due to strong captains and amazing players like Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting.

Recent Years and Challenges

After 2007, Australia's ranking dropped as key players retired. However, they bounced back. In the 2013/14 Ashes series, Australia beat England 5-0. In 2015, Australia won the Cricket World Cup on home soil.

Ball-Tampering Incident (2018)

In March 2018, during a Test match in South Africa, some Australian players were involved in a ball-tampering incident. Cameron Bancroft was seen trying to change the ball's surface with sandpaper. Captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner were also involved.

Smith and Warner were removed from their leadership roles and sent home. Cricket Australia suspended Smith and Warner for 12 months, and Bancroft for 9 months. Tim Paine became the new Test captain. This event led to big changes in the team.

From 2018 to Today

Under new coach Justin Langer and captain Tim Paine, the team started fresh. They won a Test series against Sri Lanka in 2019. Australia also kept the Ashes in England for the first time since 2001.

In 2021, Australia won their first ever T20 World Cup title. They beat New Zealand in the final. Later that year, Pat Cummins became Australia's 47th Test captain. Under Cummins, Australia won the 2021-22 Ashes 4-0.

2023 was a fantastic year for Australia. They won their first ICC World Test Championship title. This made them the first team to win all major ICC trophies across all formats. They also kept the Ashes. In November, they won the World Cup for the sixth time, beating India in the final.

International Grounds

Australia plays international cricket at several grounds. Here are some of the main ones:

Team Colours and Uniforms

For Test matches, the team wears white uniforms. They have a green and gold V-neck sweater for cold weather. The team's sponsor logo is on the right side of the chest. The Cricket Australia emblem is on the left.

The baggy green cap is a very important symbol of the national team. New players get one when they are chosen. The cap and helmet show the Australian cricket coat-of-arms.

In One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket, the team wears green and gold uniforms. These are Australia's national colours. There have been many different styles over the years. The current T20I kit is mostly green with gold. The ODI kit is mostly gold with green.

The gold uniform became their main colour after Australia won the 2015 Cricket World Cup. The hats for limited-overs games are called 'floppy gold'.

Current Squad (Selected Players)

This is a list of active players who have played for Australia recently.

Last updated: 20th November 2024

• Forms – This shows the types of games they've played for Australia in the past year.
• C – Contracted to Cricket Australia (Y = Yes, they have a contract)

Coaching Staff

The current coaching staff helps the team perform their best.

Team Records

Australia holds many impressive records in international cricket.

Test Match Records

• Australia is the most successful Test team ever. They have won almost 47% of their matches.
• Australia has been in the only two Tied Tests in history.
• Their biggest win was by an innings and 360 runs against South Africa in 2002.
• Australia holds the record for most consecutive wins (16) and consecutive series victories (9).
• Their highest score in an innings is 758/8 against the West Indies in 1955.
• Their lowest score is 36 all out against England in 1902.
• Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh have played the most Test matches for Australia (168 each).
• Charles Bannerman faced the first ball, scored the first runs, and the first century in Test cricket.
• Donald Bradman has the highest batting average ever (99.94).
• Ricky Ponting has scored the most runs (13,378) and most centuries (41) for Australia.
• Shane Warne has taken the most wickets for Australia (708).
• Adam Gilchrist has the most dismissals as a wicketkeeper (416).

One-Day International Records

• Australia's highest ODI score is 434/4 against South Africa in 2006.
• Their lowest ODI score is 70, which happened twice.
• Australia's largest victory was by 309 runs against the Netherlands in 2023.
• Australia is the only team to win 3 consecutive World Cups (1999, 2003, 2007).
• They were undefeated for a record 34 World Cup matches.
• Australia has won the most ODI World Cups (6 titles).
• Ricky Ponting has played the most ODIs (375) and scored the most runs (13,291) and centuries (30).
• Glenn Maxwell holds the record for the highest individual score by an Australian (201 not out).
• Glenn McGrath has taken the most ODI wickets (381) and has the best bowling figures (7/15).
• Adam Gilchrist has the most dismissals as an ODI wicketkeeper (470).

Tournament History

Australia has a strong history in major cricket tournaments.

ICC World Test Championship

ICC World Test Championship record
Year	League stage										Final Host	Final	Final Position
	Pos	Matches					Ded	PC	Pts	PCT
		P	W	L	D	T
2019–21	3/9	14	8	4	2	0	4	480	332	69.2	Rose Bowl, England	DNQ	Group Stage
2021–23	1/9	19	11	3	5	0	0	228	152	66.7	The Oval, England	Beat  India by 209 runs	Champions

ICC World Cup

World Cup record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR
1975	Runners-up	2/8	5	3	2	0	0
1979	Group stage	6/8	3	1	2	0	0
1983			6	2	4	0	0
1987	Champions	1/8	8	7	1	0	0
1992	Round-Robin stage	5/9	8	4	4	0	0
1996	Runners-up	2/12	8	5	3	0	0
1999	Champions	1/12	10	7	2	1	0
2003	Champions	1/14	11	11	0	0	0
2007	Champions	1/16	11	11	0	0	0
2011	Quarter-finals	6/14	7	4	2	0	1
2015	Champions	1/14	9	7	1	0	1
2019	Semi-finals	4/10	10	7	3	0	0
2023	Champions	1/10	11	9	2	0	0
Total	6 titles	13/13	106	78	25	1	2

ICC T20 World Cup

T20 World Cup record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR
2007	Semi-finals	3/12	6	3	3	0	0
2009	Group Stage	11/12	2	0	2	0	0
2010	Runners-up	2/12	7	6	1	0	0
2012	Semi-finals	3/12	6	4	2	0	0
2014	Super 10	8/16	4	1	3	0	0
2016		6/16	4	2	2	0	0
2021	Champions	1/16	7	6	1	0	0
2022	Super 12	5/16	5	3	1	0	1
2024	Super 8	6/20	7	5	2	0	0
Total	1 title	9/9	48	30	17	0	1

ICC Champions Trophy

Champions Trophy record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR
1998	Quarter-finals	8/9	1	0	1	0	0
2000		5/11	1	0	1	0	0
2002	Semi-finals	4/12	3	2	1	0	0
2004		3/12	3	2	1	0	0
2006	Champions	1/10	5	4	1	0	0
2009	Champions	1/8	5	4	0	0	1
2013	Group stage	7/8	3	0	2	0	1
2017			3	0	1	0	2
2025	Qualified
Total	2 Titles	8/8	24	12	8	0	4

Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR
1998	Runners-up	2/16	5	4	1	0	0
Total	0 Titles	1/1	5	4	1	0	0

Honours

ICC Trophies

• World Test Championship:
  • Champions (1): 2021–2023
• World Cup:
  • Champions (6): 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2023
  • Runners-up (2): 1975, 1996
• T20 World Cup:
  • Champions (1): 2021
  • Runners-up (1): 2010
• Champions Trophy:
  • Champions (2): 2006, 2009

Other Awards

• Commonwealth Games:
  • Silver medal (1): 1998

Team Song

The team song is "Under the Southern Cross I Stand." Players sing it after every victory. It is a very respected tradition within the team.

The song's words are:

Under the Southern Cross I Stand

A sprig of wattle in my hand,

A native of my native land,

Australia you little beauty.

The song was created by former wicketkeeper Rod Marsh. He was inspired by a poem. Marsh used to lead the singing. After he retired, other players took on this role. These include Allan Border, David Boon, Ian Healy, Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, and Michael Hussey. Currently, wicketkeeper Alex Carey leads the song.

See Also

In Spanish: Selección de críquet de Australia para niños

• Allan Border Medal
• Australia A cricket team
• Australia national women's cricket team
• Australian Cricket Hall of Fame
• List of Australia national cricket captains
• List of Australia ODI cricketers
• List of Australia Test cricketers
• List of Australia Test wicket-keepers
• List of Australia Twenty20 International cricketers