Ricky Ponting (captain), 32. Right-hand bat. 279 matches. 10,358 runs @ 43.33, 23 centuries, 62 fifties, strike rate 80.24. 123 catches.
The world's second-ranked batsmen in one-day cricket. Has played in the last three World Cup finals, captaining Australia to victory in 2003 and winning man of the match in the final against India after an unbeaten 140.
Under his leadership, Australia have extended their undefeated Cup run to 28 matches dating back to 1999 and so far no team in the Caribbean have come close to toppling them.
- - - -
Nathan Bracken, 29. Left-arm fast-medium bowler. 66 matches. 111 wickets @ 21.25, best bowling 5/67, economy rate 4.33, strike rate 29.43.
Made his ODI debut six years ago as part of Australia's search for a world-class left-arm quick but did not cement a permanent place until 2005.
Was called into the Australian squad for the 2003 World Cup to replace the injured Jason Gillespie but did not play a match. Has taken 15 wickets in nine matches at this tournament @ 14.93, which is much better than his career average.
- - - -
Stuart Clark, 31. Right-arm fast-medium bowler. 25 matches, 36 @ 31.47, 4/54, 5.36, 35.16.
Has been hailed as heir apparent to Glenn McGrath, the team's most influential strike bowler. Although first handed a Cricket Australia contract in the 2001-2 season, a series of injuries and fierce competition for places meant he only made his test bow aged 30 in Cape Town in March 2006.
Tall and strong with the ability to move the ball late off the seam. Made it to the squad after Brett Lee was ruled out of the World Cup due to an ankle injury but he has only featured in one match, against Ireland, in the Caribbean.
He is currently studying for a masters degree in commerce after which he plans to study law and pursue a career in finance.
- - - -
Michael Clarke, 26. Right-hand bat, left-arm orthodox slow bowler. 111 matches. 3,321 runs @ 45.49, 2 centuries, 25 fifties, 82.77. 30 @ 38.83, 5/35, 5.19, 44.86. 42 catches.
The golden boy of Australian cricket, Clarke was tipped as future captain before he had even played his first match. A dashing middle-order batsmen, acrobatic fielder and handy spin bowler, Clarke enjoyed a whirlwind start to his international career before it all came to an abrupt halt when he was dropped in 2005.
He quickly fought his way back into the side has been one of the consistent players in the World Cup, scoring four fifties.
- - - -
Adam Gilchrist, 35. Wicketkeeper, left-hand bat. 267 matches. 8,889 @ 35.55, 14 centuries, 50 fifties, 96.12. 386 catches, 50 stumpings.
A capable wicketkeeper but better known as one of the most destructive one-day batsmen of all time who scores his runs at an electrifying pace.
A player for the big occasion, he scored half-centuries in each of the past two World Cup finals. Is one of only two players to be selected in the ICC's world one-day XI in each of the three years the honorary team has been selected.
- - - -
Brad Haddin, 29. Wicketkeeper, right-hand bat. 21 matches. 467 @ 25.94, 1 fifty, 80.93. 28 catches, 4 stumpings.
As Australia's back-up wicketkeeper to Gilchrist, Haddin's services have not been required at the World Cup. He is also a capable batsmen who has scored seven first-class hundreds.
- - - -
Matthew Hayden, 35. Left-hand bat. 144 matches. 5,461 @ 44.04, 10 centuries, 30 fifties, 78.60. 61 catches.
Briefly held the world record holder for the highest score in test cricket (380) and set the highest one-day score by an Australian with his unbeaten 181 against New Zealand in Australia's last match before the World Cup, despite batting with a broken toe.
Opened the batting for Australia in the last World Cup, scoring 37 in the final against India. Dropped from the team last year but has been the batsman of the tournament with 621 runs, including three centuries and a fifty, at an average of 77.62. He needs only 53 runs to surpass Indian Sachin Tendulkar's record of most runs scored in a single tournament.
- - - -
Brad Hodge, 32. Right-hand bat. 18 matches. 516 @ 39.69, 1 century, 3 fifties, 93.98. 12 catches.
Prolific scorer in Australia's domestic competition but lost his place in the test side after just five matches despite making an unbeaten double-century and averaging almost 60. Recalled to the one-day side in January and booked his place for the Caribbean with a match-winning 99 not out against New Zealand.
As a stand-in for injured players, he has played only five matches at the World Cup and scored his first ODI century against the Netherlands in the group phase.
- - - -
Brad Hogg, 36. Left-arm wrist-spinner, left-hand batsman. 105 matches. 132 wickets @ 27.16, 5/32, 4.48, 36.33. 33 catches. 705 @ 21.36, 2 fifties, 81.22.
Has been in the Australian one-day team for a decade but made a name for himself at the 2003 World Cup when he was thrust into the role of chief spinner when Shane Warne was sent home for failing a dope test. Has been the fourth highest wicket taker in the tournament with 20.
- - - -
Mike Hussey, 31. Left-hand bat. 71 matches. 1,826 @ 58.90, 2 centuries, 10 fifties, 90.39. 43 catches.
Waited more than a decade after his first-class debut before finally being called into the national side in 2004 but has never looked back, winning the 2006 award as the world's best one-day player. A brilliant fieldsmen and versatile batsmen, who can fill any place in the order, Hussey's greatest attribute is his coolness chasing runs under pressure.
However, he has been the one Australian who has failed to make an impact in the Caribbean as it took him five innings before he could get into double figures. Has scored only 87 @ 17.40, well below his career average.
- - - -
Keywords: CRICKET WORLD/AUSTRALIA PENPIX
Mitchell Johnson, 25. Left-arm fast-medium bowler. 18 matches. 26 @ 27.88, 4/11, 5.33, 31.38. 3 catches.
Tall, left-handed paceman who was described by Dennis Lillee as a "once in a generation bowler". Was fast-tracked into the Australian team in late 2005 and underlined his potential when he claimed the prized wickets of Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Irfan Pathan and Yuvraj Singh in a devastating four-over burst in Malaysia last year. Has not played a match in the World Cup.
- - - -
Glenn McGrath, 37. Right-arm fast-medium bowler. 249 matches. 380 @ 22.00, 7/15, 3.87, 34.02.
The spearhead of Australia's attack for more than a decade and Australia's leading wicket-taker in one-day internationals. Playing in his fourth and final World Cup after announcing his retirement from international cricket after this tournament.
Became the leading wicket taker in the history of the tournament when he surpassed Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram's record of 55 in a second-round match against Bangladesh and now has 70. Is also the pace-setter in the 2007 edition with 25 wickets.
- - - -
Andrew Symonds, 31. Right-hand batsman, right-arm medium pace or off-spin bowler. 169 matches, 4,203 @ 39.28, 5 centuries, 22 fifties, 92.23. 123 @ 37.82, 5/18, 5.00, 45.33. 72 catches.
One of the biggest hitters in world cricket. Made his one-day international debut in 1998 but did not fulfil his talent until the 2003 World Cup with a century against New Zealand. Has struggled for consistency but remains one of the most dangerous players in the game. Missed the team's first two group matches at the World Cup as he was recovering from a bicep injury.
- - - -
Shaun Tait, 24. Right-arm fast bowler. 14 matches. 28 @ 22.96, 4/39, 5.47, 25.17.
A surprise selection in the squad after making his one-day international debut in February. Is genuinely fast and has an unusual slinging action. Possesses a mean yorker and is one of the few Australians who can regularly reverse swing the ball. Has repaid the selectors' faith by being joint second in the list of leading wicket takers at the World Cup. His 23 scalps is second only to team mate McGrath.
- - - -
Shane Watson, 25. Right-arm fast-medium bowler, right-hand batsman. 64 matches. 61 @ 33.86, 4/39, 4.85, 41.81. 998 @ 35.64, 7 fifties, 79.96. 15 catches.
Talented all-rounder whose promising career has been stalled by injuries. Missed the 2003 World Cup with stress fractures and more recently missed the entire Ashes series with a hamstring problem.
Also sat out three matches in the second-round of the World Cup with a calf strain but gave a brilliant exhibition of clean hitting on his return as he clobbered an unbeaten 65 from 32 balls in the team's final Super Eights contest against New Zealand.
Showed off his skills on the field when he shattered the stumps from the boundary line to run out South African opener AB de Villiers in a group encounter. The piece of ground fielding in St Kitts turned an evenly poised game Australia's way.
- - - -
Coach: John Buchanan, 54. Former teacher and university lecturer who played just seven first-class matches before embarking on a career as a coach. Led Queensland to their first Australian domestic title before replacing Geoff Marsh as national coach in 1999, winning the World Cup in 2003 and helping Australia to a record sequence of wins in test and one-day cricket.
© 2024 Rediff.com -