Australia’s emphatic 333-run win over India in the first Test of the 4-Match series at Pune would remain their most dominating performance in India for a long time in future.
They were labelled as underdogs before the series and the conditions were almost unfavourable to their style. However, the events which unfolded later were stunning. While Australia has traditionally been the bully among teams.
They carried the ‘good traveller’s’ tag with them and overcame the stiffest challenges with relative ease, especially in the 90’s and 00’s. But, the hosts have always played all the tricks to contain them and they have had times tough times in the past.
However, the ‘win-all’ attitude as served them well and allowed them to prove themselves as superior on oppositions’ turf o many occasions.
Here in this article, Sportzwiki picks 5 such memorable matches where Australia made the home team feel humiliated.
1st Test v England, Leeds, June 1989
This match can be termed as one of those matches which marked the true beginning of the Australian dominance in 90’s. The Australians toured arch rivals England for the 1989 Ashes with a team that was been tagged as the weakest ever to arrive on English soil. But, the bloated confidence of England was shattered as Australia won the 6 match series by a 4-0 margin. The foundation for the superb Ashes victory was laid in the 1st test where Australia demolished the opposition by 210 runs.
Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh registered 136 and 177 respectively in the first innings to take Australia to 601/d. Fast bowler Terry Alderman backed up the terrific batting performance with 5 wicket hauls in both the innings to floor the home side and claim a highly memorable victory away from home.
4th Test v West Indies, Kingston, May 1995
West Indies had made a dominating comeback in the Frank Worrell Trophy, 1995. The Windies pace battery was back on its track and the Australian were under fire. The fourth Test was the deciding rubber. The emerging fast bowling attack featuring McGrath and Warne ensured a good start. West Indies, guided by a century from Richie Richardson managed t reach 265 in the first innings.
The Aussies were off to a bad start as Ambrose and Walsh kept and tight noose before the Waugh brothers combined and put up a daring show against the potent Windies fast bowling. The pair added 230 for the 4th wicket to take Australia past the 300 mark. The twins were separated only after junior Waugh was dismissed for 126. The senior continued and stretched to claim a double hundred as Australia eventually piled 531. Paul Reifel and Shane Warne followed up with four wickets each to ensure a victory by an innings and 53 runs.
3rd Test v India, Nagpur, Oct 2004
Australian fast bowlers triggered a collective batting failure to seal the fate of the Indians in the 3rd Test of the 2004 Border – Gavaskar series. Australia were ahead 1-0 after a win in the opening Test but India showed fightback spirit and came close to levelling the series before rains forced a draw in the second Test. Coming into the match, the Australians were well aware of the importance the match had for the opposition. The superior Indian bowling attack posed a danger but Australia started well and put up 398 on the board for the first wicket with Damien Martyn scoring 114 and a young Michel Clarke adding 91. In reply, the hosts showed very less intent and could manage just 185 and gave away a huge first innings lead. This proved fatal eventually as Australia decided to bat again and extended the total lead by adding further 329 runs in the second innings. Chasing a mountain of a target, India succumbed haplessly and were bundled out for just 200 and lost the match by 342 runs.
1st Test v South Africa, Johannesburg, March 2009
The Proteas were strong favourites to win the 2009 home series against Australia. The tourist had arrived with a relatively inexperienced line-up and the hosts had were ready with a full strength team featuring the likes of Dale Steyn, Jacques Kallis and Makhaya Ntini. The recent loss to South Africa at home also acted as a worrying fact for the Kangaroos. However, the Rickey Ponting side set the tone for the soon to be 2- series win with an emphatic 162 runs win in the opening Test at Johannesburg.
After a poor start, Australia were stellar batting efforts from skipper Ponting (63), Clarke (68) and Brad Haddin (63). Tail-ender Mitchell Johnson sprung a surprise with his 96 while debutant Marcus North (117) slammed a century. All these efforts gave a perfect head start to the match with as the visitors put 466 on the scoreboard. The Proteas flunked in reply and were rattled by pace duo of Johnson and Siddle who bowled them out for 220. A fired up home side answered back by bowling out the Aussies for just 207 in the 3rd innings. But, the first innings lead conceded proved to be an advantage for Australia as they eventually won the match by 162 runs.
3rd Test v South Africa, Cape Town, March 2013
The dominating win in the series decider at Cape Town was another example of Australia putting a spectacular show and take in the honours home. The three-match Test series was a well-fought one with Australia winning the first by 281 runs and South Africa levelling the series by 231 runs.
The tone for the win was set by David Warner and Michel Clarke who struck centuries to help Australia pile 494 runs in the first innings. South Africa, unfortunately, were unable to deal with Mitchell Johnson and managed just 287 runs in reply. The Aussies now had the advantage of 207 runs made it impossible for South Africa to recover from there on.
In the third innings, Australia went in with an aggressive approach and posted 303/5 in just 58 overs to set a target of 510 runs. The thought of winning was out of the equation for South Africa. They tried surviving and did well to play 134.3 overs. But, in the end, Australia still snapped the match by 245 runs.