Australia surrendered 311 against South Africa on October 12, 2023, at Lucknow, after winning the toss and bowling first. There are no true monsters on the field, but chasing 312 against a potent Proteas pace attack is no easy task. There is optimism among those at home, on the field, and within the team that they will be able to kick off their World Cup campaign in Lucknow after falling to India just a few days previously.
However, that promise rapidly turns into disappointment. For the second game in a row, Australia is shot out for less than 200. There are issues over Travis Head’s inclusion on the team despite his inability to play. There have been rumblings about why the team does not have a second specialist spinner and how Adam Zampa has mysteriously lost his rhythm.
Worse, there are whispers that David Warner and Steve Smith are past their prime. Glenn Maxwell is no longer the powerhouse he once was, and Mitchell Marsh is simply too unreliable to bat first for Australia in a World Cup.
Following a crushing 134-run defeat, their campaign has reached the lowest point imaginable. In fact, it feels like it hasn’t even started yet. The five-time world champions find themselves teetering on the edge with seven games still left to play, looking into a seemingly endless void of uncertainty.
Doesn’t it all seem a bit excessive? It’s because Australia has set such remarkable standards in the past, having claimed victory in this competition a whopping five times. No other team has accomplished that feat more than twice.
Rival fans were so thrilled at Australia’s failure to score. Memes were trending on social media applications. And, as strange as it may sound, they were being written off.
3 Victories on the Bounce for Australia in World Cup
Three games may not seem like much in a drawn-out World Cup like the current edition. However, when those three matches result in three decisive Australian victories, it becomes significant. It’s not just about the six points added to their tally as five-time champions, but also about their ability to consistently string together wins without hesitation.
The batting, which was initially a source of frustration, has now found its rhythm. David Warner, participating in his third ODI World Cup, has been leading the way in this resurgence. He has achieved consecutive centuries and is currently displaying outstanding form in the format.
Marsh, who has been a touch more unpredictable than he would have liked, pummeled Pakistan into submission in Bengaluru, displaying a power game that would have sent shivers down the spines of many bowling attacks. Smith has runs with Josh Inglis under his belt as well, demonstrating that he is capable of manning the middle order in his limited opportunity.
Oh, as if that wasn’t enough, Maxwell went out and hit the fastest-ever ODI World Cup century against the Netherlands, reaching the milestone in just 40 balls. What were his strokes? Reverse scoops, reverse swats, reverse hooks, the good old slog over deep mid-wicket, exquisite straight drives, and breathtaking cover drives, to name a few. As usual.
The bowling section has also found its groove. Pakistan put its determination to the test, especially when they threatened to hunt down 368, but they have essentially regained the incision that made them the envy of many other teams. Zampa, who appeared hopelessly out of sync earlier in the competition, is now the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, with three four-wicket hauls in a row.
Mitchell Starc’s bat is swinging wonderfully, and as Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins shown in Delhi, they have the aptitude and precision to extract energy from supposedly benign surfaces.
This may sound apparent, but Australia now appears to have most bases covered following two initial setbacks. Of course, they will face more difficult tests than they have in the last week or two, but the manner in which they have achieved these triumphs indicates a team that is in pain and wants to prove people wrong.
When Australia is in that zone, it’s nearly incomparable.
Sometimes you don’t always take the fastest route to your destination, and Australia did take a detour to compensate for a couple of early bottlenecks. They had to re-calibrate their GPS and find their way around, all while there was incessant buzz that they had made a mistake with their squad composition and had relied on individuals who had done their race.
But now, they have arrived at these events in top form. With three consecutive wins and a place in the top four, they are showing their competitiveness. Additionally, Head, who has been one of their standout ODI players recently, is yet to even start playing. And Mitchell Starc, who has been their most influential bowler in past World Cups, still has room to take his performance up a notch or two.
That alone demonstrates why Australia might be a concern in the future. The neutral and their fans may want them to be at their best since a fit and firing Australia increases the show. Not for opposing teams and their fans, at least.
That early October evening in Lucknow seems a long time ago. Another World Cup victory is within reach.
