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Australia will open their campaign against India at the ODI World Cup 2023 on October 5 in Chennai. All eyes will be on this match since India is the host team, and Australia is the most dominant team in the history of the ODI World Cup. They are also a popular team in the outright betting option in the ODI World Cup betting.
The Kangaroos are one of the most successful ODI teams in the world, with five ODI World Cup trophies. They won the title on three successive occasions – 1999, 2003, and 2007. We recap their successful 2007 ODI World Cup campaign match-by-match.
Recap of Australia’s 2007 ODI World Cup Campaign
Upon landing in the West Indies, Australia needed to live up to the expectations of being the defending champions. In South Africa, four years earlier, they had won every match to lift the Cup as they beat India in the final.
In the tournament’s lead-up, they lost a bilateral series 3-0 against New Zealand. The pressure was well and truly on Ricky Ponting and his men. So, let’s look at how they fared in 2007.
vs Scotland
Australia opened their campaign with a healthy win over Scotland at St Kitts. Ponting led from the front, slamming 113 as Australia scored 334/6. In reply, Scotland was jolted by some effective bowling from Glenn McGrath (3/14) as they were bundled out for 131, losing the match by 203 runs.
vs Netherlands
Australia clinched an even bigger win in their second game. They batted first and posted 358/5 thanks to Brad Hogg’s 123 off 89 balls. Ponting and his men dismissed the Netherlands for a paltry 129. Hogg picked up four wickets, while Nathan Bracken and McGrath picked up two each.
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vs South Africa
In their final group match, Australian batting again came to the party. Matthew Hayden scored 101, while Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke struck 91 and 92, respectively. In reply to Australia’s 377, South Africa looked like chasing it down at one stage, with AB de Villiers scoring 92. But the Proteas were eventually bowled out for 294.
vs West Indies
Hayden brought his best out in their first match of the Super Eights. He slammed 158 off 143 as Australia posted an imposing 322. In the chase, West Indies were rocked by some impressive bowling from Hogg and McGrath, who picked up three wickets apiece. The hosts lost the match by 103 runs.
vs Bangladesh
In a rain-affected match, McGrath picked up three wickets to jolt Bangladesh, who could only muster 104 for the loss of six wickets in 22 overs. Australia made a mockery of the total, winning the match by ten wickets. Gilchrist and Hayden steered Australia home with 49 balls to spare.
vs England
Australia produced a clinical performance against arch-rivals England. McGrath-led Aussie bowling attack bowled out England for 247 despite a century from Kevin Pietersen. Australia was powered by their skipper Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke in the run chase. Both batters registered fifties, and the defending champions chased down 248 with 16 balls remaining.
vs Ireland
Australian bowling firepower was again on display as they bundled out Ireland for a paltry 91 in just 30 overs. McGrath and Shaun Tait destroyed the Irish top-order. The match was firmly in Australia’s hands, and they put a stamp on it with an easy nine-wicket win.
vs Sri Lanka
Bracken put on a show as the famed Sri Lankan batting order crumbled in Grenada. Only Chamara Silva and Mahela Jayawardene tried to save some face for their team, but even then, it was not enough. Chasing 227 for a win, Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden scored fifty as Australia knocked down the target with seven wickets to spare.
vs New Zealand
Despite losing Gilchrist early, Hayden struck a valiant 103 off 100 balls. Ponting also scored 66 as Australia set New Zealand a target of 349 runs. In reply, Hogg picked up four wickets on a turning track as the Black Caps were bowled out for 133.
vs South Africa (Semi-final)
Just like in 2003, Australia marched into the semi-final on the back of an unbeaten run and played like champions in the knockout match. They bowled out South Africa for 149 as Tait picked up four wickets. Australia hunted the target with seven wickets to spare.
vs Sri Lanka (Final)
In the big final, which was farcical, to say the least, Australia rode on Adam Gilchrist’s century to post a total of 281/4 in 38 overs. The rain had interrupted the match, and Australia’s innings had to be curtailed.
More rains followed soon, and Sri Lanka’s target kept on changing due to the Duckworth Lewis method. Also, the match was stretched beyond the daylight due to these frequent delays, and no floodlights ensured that Sri Lanka batters failed to spot the ball under dusky conditions.
Australia eventually won the match as Sri Lanka could score 215/8 in the allotted 36 overs. And with this win, Australia won the trophy for the third successive time.
Concluding Thoughts
Four years after their second World Cup title in South Africa, Australia once again proved they are the best ODI team. They had a disastrous build-up to the tournament after they were clean-swept by New Zealand. However, they bounced back to win in style to win a record fourth World Cup title.
