Are Australia Lining up one Last Hurrah at 2023 World Cup?

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Cricket365
September 17, 2020

Australia sent down a statement in their ODI series against England that the Three Lions will face a challenge to remain the kings of the 50-over format for the next three years.

The Baggy Greens overcame Eoin Morgan’s men in the decider at Old Trafford, inflicting the first home ODI series defeat on the world champions since 2015.

Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey were the stars for the Aussies, both scoring centuries and producing a record-breaking stand for the sixth wicket to chase down England’s total of 303. The home side seemingly had Australia on the ropes at 73-5, but their lack of potency in the middle overs allowed Maxwell and Carey to put the tourists on the brink.

There was a slight wobble towards the end, only for Mitchell Starc to dispatch Adil Rashid for two boundaries to secure the win. It could be a major turning point for Justin Langer’s side in their rebuilding operation for the 2023 World Cup. This is supported by statistics and odds. If you visit Space Casino, for example, you’ll see that fans have great faith in their team, with odds of 4/1 for the Aussies to win the competition for the sixth time.

There is plenty of work ahead, but it could be the final hurrah for a group that may have underachieved in the 50-over format since last winning the World Cup in 2015. It’s not a young team by any stretch of the imagination. In three years, David Warner and Aaron Finch will both be 36. Unless they are willing to play into their late thirties, the next competition could be their last.

Steve Smith will be 34, and although he has not transferred his imperious batting form from the Test arena to the 50-over game, he remains a match-winner for the Baggy Greens. This is especially true in tough conditions. Maxwell is another player that has flashed his brilliance on occasions but has never enjoyed the consistency that his talent should have allowed. He will be 35 at the next World Cup in India, where there will be pressure on him to produce results perhaps for the final time.

The bowling ranks are not much different. Starc has been outstanding throughout his ODI career and could have another two tournaments in him if he retains his pace and fitness. Pat Cummins has had issues transferring his form with the red ball to the limited-overs formats. The 27-year-old is in the prime of his career and will no doubt be operating at the peak of his ability come 2023. However, there are not a lot of seamers putting pressure on the two main men outside of Josh Hazlewood.

Jhye Richardson is a promising prospect at the age of 24 and there’s hope that he will continue in his development around the squad. Billy Stanlake has had a tough introduction to ODI cricket, but he has shown a great deal of potential in the 20-over format, including in the Indian Premier League.

Australia proved that they are more than capable of taking down the best team in the world. Langer has assembled a squad that has talent and experience in all conditions. There does not appear to be much help on the horizon for the current group to bolster the ranks. Therefore the Baggy Greens will likely be lining up for one last hurrah with Finch, Warner, Smith, and company before pushing the reset button for future competitions.