9 Oct / 2013(187)…The best phase in Australia Test history was between 2000-2009!.

A brief gfx based analysis on Australian Test history. I have segmented decade wise performance instead of captain wise, as I found more consistency and balance in decade performances. Here one is able to see the ups and downs on each team’s phase.

The worst period for Australian Test cricket was in 1960s/70s/80s & the good period was between 1920-1950 (see gfx).

However their best phase came later and more recently, under the guidance of Steve Waugh and then Ricky Ponting. Between 2000-2009 Aussies won 79 /115 Tests (68.69%) , and in this phase their batters manage to post 72 big score (>400) featuring 175 centuries, & at same time 95 times their bowlers dismissed their  opponent to low score(<250 ) featuring 77 times 5 wkts haul. No team, and no decade showed such great achievement.

Here is a list of stats analysis

Table 1 – Decade wise success rate.

Table 2 : Team score (Bat /Bowl)

Table 3 : Test centuries and Test fifties.

Table 4 : No. of debuts for bowlers (min 1 over qualification) & 5wkt haul and 10 wkt/match. Note these 5wkt & 10 wkt haul is career figure, and not necessary it was performed during these decades.

Table 5 :

Out of 322 cricketers who bowled for Australia in a Test match, 272 picked more than 1 Test wkt (career) and 110 picked 25+ wkts (career). And only 54 had a strike rate of less than 65balls/wkt (with 25+qualification). Here is a look at the list of these bowlers decade wise, debut and their career figure of (> 25 wkts +  > 65. St.rate)

Note:

1-     Picked bowlers who at least bowled 1 over in their Test career. On that basis there were 322 Aussies who bowled in Test cricket out of which 272 picked up 1 or more Test wicket in their career. (84.47%)

2-     Decades : 10 years is calculated by year 1 to 9. E.g a 1900s : will include 1900 to 1909, and not 1910. The next decade 1910s would include the year 1910.

3-     Teams score (Bat & Bowl) I have used > 400 for batting and <250 for bowling. If teams are able to score and restrict their opponents to this score than I reckon its quite excellent and opportunity to win Test match.

4-     Aust(bat): A score of 400 + includes (both innings, & also declared ones)

5-     Aus (bowl): A score of less than 250 includes both innings, and only those in which the opponents lost all its 10 wkts.

6-     In <bowlers used> column, a player can overlap a decade, and few have done that. Nevertheless  I have selected their debut year to count and not their retired year. E.g Shane Warne made his Test debut in  1991-92 series therefore his bowling figures would feature in 1990 decade analysis and not in 2000.

7-     Strike Rate(balls/wkts) – Anything less than 65 balls/wkt in a bowling career should be considered excellent.

 Here is a link to meaning of all ndicators/formula – http://allthatcricket.com/?p=1489