Australia in focus at the ICC Champions Trophy
Two-time ICC Champions Trophy winners Australia are looking to lift the trophy on a third occasion this summer, and they have a squad that is very much capable of doing so.
They recorded back-to-back wins in 2006 and 2009, but were denied the hat-trick when India won in 2013.
While India have lifted the trophy twice – once in 2013 after beating England in the final and the other in 2002 when they shared the title with Sri Lanka – only Australia have won two ICC Champions Trophy finals.
As part of our series looking at the history of each side at the tournament, we revisit Australia’s past performances and key men throughout the years.
• Australia’s most-capped player at the ICC Champions Trophy is former captain and CT17 commentator Ricky Ponting, who played 18 games at the tournament
• Ponting is Australia’s top-scorer at the tournament, racking up 593 runs in his 18 appearances. He’s followed by Damien Martyn (492) and Shane Watson (453)
• Shane Watson holds several of Australia’s records with the bat at the ICC Champions Trophy, one being he hit his country’s highest score at the tournament when he struck 135* against England in 2009
• Watson’s unbeaten century against England was one of two hundreds he’s scored at the tournament, more than any other Australian player
• However, the two players who share the record for most fifties at the tournament are Damien Martyn and Ricky Ponting with five apiece
• Martyn has the highest average of any Australian at the tournament, with his 492 runs at the ICC Champions Trophy coming at an average of 61.50 from 11 innings
• Typical of his style as a big-hitter, it’s no surprise to see Watson topping the ranks for most sixes hit. Not only has he hit the most maximums at the tournament for Australia (12), he has also hit the most sixes in an innings (7 v England in 2009)
• The record for most runs ever hit at a single ICC Champions Trophy by an Australian is the 288 hit by Ricky Ponting as he led his side to glory in 2009
• With the ball it’s two of Australia’s most famous and feared seamers who lead the way in terms of wickets taken. Brett Lee is #1 with 22, closely followed by his former bowling partner Glenn McGrath on 21
• Of McGrath’s 21 wickets, 10 of them came at the 2006 edition. Also bagging 10 wickets in that tournament was Nathan Bracken, who shares the Australian record for most wickets at a single edition with McGrath
• McGrath is the only Australian to bag a five-for at the ICC Champions Trophy. He took 5-37 against New Zealand in 2002, the best figures for his country at the tournament
• The most potent bowler is former paceman Michael Kasprowicz, who took wickets at a strike rate of 21.6 at the tournament, better than any other Australian
• It wouldn’t be an Australian record list without Shane Warne, and the former leg spinner has the best economy rate at the tournament for his country. He bowled 20.2 overs at the ICC Champions Trophy at a very economical rate of 2.95 runs per over.
• As a side, Australia’s most comprehensive victory came over the USA in 2004, when they knocked off their target of 66 in just 7.5 overs.