“Cricket, like all sports has ripened sweetly. An ancient pastime, it has endured nobly. And transitions, with every passing year.”
Thomas Moult (Bat and Ball: Cricket Anthology – 1935)
Cricket has emerged to be one of the most popular games all across the globe and for some countries, it’s more than a mere sport. New Zealand and Australia are two such nations who started playing the game many years back and are believed to be the two pillars of international cricket. The Australia cricket team,on one hand, is known for its unbreakable international records and Kiwis, on the other hand, are the best when it comes to their home ground.
Both cricket giants have played numerous matches but some of them have become history. From test matches to one-day games then Twenty20 and now the fantasy cricket league Kangaroos and the Black Caps have seen it all. Why not have a glimpse of the interesting cricket journey of these two powerful teams but in a different way? Let’s get rolling!!
How About Starting With Exploring Some Of The Best Test Cricket Classics Played Between New Zealand & Australia?
The Grand Basin Reserve situated in Wellington, New Zealand witnessed the first test played between Kiwis and Kangaroos in 1946 where the former destroyed the Kiwis and won the game. The Aussies have dominated the New Zealand cricket team as these both teams have played 58 test matches to date where the former have won 32 while the Kiwis managed to secure only 8 and 18 were drawn.
However, the Black Caps performed excellently at Lancaster Park in 1974 and defeated the Aussies by 5 wickets to grab their first test trophy. But Kangaroos took revenge in 1977 at Eden Park where they beat the Kiwis by 10 wickets.
The best moment for the New Zealand squad came in 1985 when they earned their first test victory on Australian soil in Brisbane with an innings and 41 runs. The amazing Kiwi pacer Richard Hadlee was the hero behind this massive win. Also, the New Zealand cricket team played well in the Trans-Tasman championship in 1986.
Australian cricket players have dominated the Kiwis in most of the test matches and some of their finest performances were seen in Trans-Tasman trophy in 1993-94 and 1997-98 where the team won the title by big margins. Also, the Kangaroos have shown their prowess in the Chappell-Hadlee Series by winning most of the matches.
However, the cricket fans got their biggest surprise this year at Perth Cricket ground when the Aussies defeated the Kiwis by 296 runs. This is one of the biggest victories for the Australian squad and it has proved their cricket caliber once more.
Does The Australian Brigade Own The ODI Landscape As Well Against The Kiwis?
The Australia national cricket team has played 137 ODI matches against New Zealand since 1974 where they have won 91 but the Kiwis managed to grab only 39. The Kangaroos have made a record of scoring the highest total (378) against the Black Caps at Canberra in 2016.
As far as the ICC World Cup is concerned these teams have played a total of 11 matches of which the Aussies won 8 and the Kiwis only 3. In the World Cup 2007, the Kangaroos defeated the New Zealand cricket team by 215 runs. Matthew Hayden was named as the player of the match and this game is still cherished by the Australian cricket fans.
What About The Kangaroo vs Kiwis Battle Of The Twenty20 Format?
The Australian cricket gems have overpowered the New Zealand squad completely in the Twenty20 format as they have won 7 out of 9 matches played. However, the Kiwis have also showcased their potential and won two matches one in their home ground and the other in India.
In spite of losing most of the matches, the Kiwis have shown that their players are blessed with the finest acumen for the game and great potential. Aussies on the other are the evergreen rockstars of the legendary sport. So, why not explore a couple of the gems from both the teams?
The Finest Australian Spinner: Shane Warne
He is one of the best bowlers in cricket history who made his ODI debut against the Kiwis in 1993. Shane Warne was well-known for his spin googly bowling style and was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2013. He has been a successful Australia captain with a winning percentage of 90.91%.
Warne was the leading wicket-taker in test cricket till 2007 but Muttiah Muralitharan broke his record. Also, he had a unique record in his name of hitting the most runs (3154) without making a century.
The Destructive Kiwi Batsman: Brandon McCullum
A young and aggressive Kiwi batsman McCullum made his debut in 2002 but since then he has been known for hitting mesmerizing sixes and believed to be one of the best wicket-keepers of his generation.
He helped the Black Caps in making it to their maiden World Cup finals in 2015 that was played against Aussies. Unfortunately, the team lost that match against Australia World Cup squad but he performed excellently throughout the series.
The Australian ‘Mr. Cricket’ Michael Hussey
Hussey is one of the finest batsmen in cricket history, having made records across all formats of the game. He was the opening backbone for the Aussies and is believed to be a pillar who kept their batting line-up intact after Waugh’s retirement.
Although, Hussey got a bit late in making his international cricket debut, his phenomenal journey proved that age is just a number. In 2006 he was named the ICC player of the year and from here his cricket career progressed. This Australian batsman ended his professional journey gracefully with an average of 48.16 in ODIs and 51.53 in tests.
The Unsung Kiwi Hero: Ross Taylor
This 35 years old Kiwi batsman is one of the brightest cricket talents the New Zealand cricket team ever had. Ross is an attacking batsman who is blessed with bowling acumen as well. The former Kiwi skipper holds the record of making the highest score (290) in the Trans-Tasman series that was held in 2015–16 and surpassed the previous record made by the Australian batsman David Warner.
In his international ODI career, he has scored 8376 runs with the help of 20 centuries and hence became the first Kiwi player to do the same. Ross is well-known for his reliable batting style and commendable acumen for the game.
The Explosive Aussie Opener: Matthew Hayden
This aggressive Australian batsman has made his debut in 1994 but got an opportunity to be a regular member of the Australia national cricket team in 2000 against the Kiwis. He performed excellently in that tour and scored 2 half-centuries at Hamilton. Also, the Kangaroo opener surpassed Brian Lara’s highest score (375) in Test cricket by hitting mesmerizing 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003.
Besides being a phenomenal batsman Hayden was a brilliant fielder as he grabbed 128 catches in test matches. Also, he is the only Aussie batsman to score more than 1000 runs in Test matches five times in a row from 2001 to 2005.
The Kiwi Key Cog: Stephen Fleming
Stephen is the youngest one to become the skipper for the Black Caps at the age of 23. He holds the record of being the second most capped player for the team in Test cricket as he scored 7172 runs in 111 matches. Also, he was the captain of the Kiwi squad in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2000. New Zealand cricket fans fondly remember him for his mesmerizing catches in the slip and remarkable cover as well as straight drives.
We have mentioned only a few gems from both the teams but there are many more legends in the list. Daniel Vettori, Richard Hadlee, Don Bradman, Glen McGrath, David Warner, and the list is just endless!!
After getting an idea of the key players why not take a look at what’s cooking in both squads as of now?
The New Zealand cricket team is currently on a tour to Australia for participating in the Trans-Tasman championship 2019-20. The squads for both the teams haven’t gone any major changes and the Aussies have already made a record in Perth’s test as we have discussed in one of the above sections. Both teams are showing their best talent in terms of batting, bowling, and fielding.
In addition to playing the tournaments, both squads are preparing for the international championships that are going to be held next year. The coaches are making them sweat on grounds for making sure there would be no stone unturned when these rock stars will be present on the pitches.
What’s The Status Of Kangaroos & Kiwis As Far As The Fantasy Cricket Is Concerned?
The popularity of the Australian cricket players can be seen in the fantasy cricket landscape as there are millions of crazy people who build their virtual teams by cherry-picking these gems. However, the Kiwis aren’t lagging and they also have a huge fan base in the world of fantasy cricket sites.
Do We Have A Conclusion?
Well, it’s extremely tough to take favour of one of these powerful cricket squads but still, as stats have done the talking the Kangaroos have dominated the Kiwis throughout. The Black Caps have also showcased phenomenal performances to prove that they too are blessed with some gems who can overpower the legends in the cricket landscape.
Now, all eyes are set on the World Cup 2023 as this will be one of the most exciting tournaments to watch where the sports enthusiasts will get an opportunity to witness these teams and their players in real action. Only time will tell who will be the victorious time. In the meanwhile, what is ensured is the intense action that unfolds on the cricket pitch.
