Every sport has a team that stands out on the international stage, and when it comes to cricket this has to be Australia. There is little doubt that Australia is the most successful cricket team in the world. It has the highest win percentage and has also produced the player with the best batting average ever – 99.94 from Don Bradman. These facts mean that, when you want to place your bets on cricket, Australia is where the smart money tends to go.
What is it about Australia though? When this country has a relatively small population and there are competing sports such as Rugby and Australian Rules Football, how does it still manage to find the very best sportsman and field the best cricket team in the world? That’s what we’re going to take a look at here.
Photo courtesy of Rebecca Lintz from Pixabay
The impact of the weather
There can be no denying that the weather certainly helps the Australians when it comes to cricket. The climate that they enjoy means that they get to play the sport pretty much the whole year through. There’s no need to take breaks from the sport as it’s too wet or cold.
When you look at teams like England, the weather poses a very real challenge and Beverly limits the time the sport can be played outdoors. Of course, though, Australia isn’t the only country with a cricket-friendly climate, so there must be more to this nation’s success.
The Academy
Developed in the 1990s, the cricket academy in Australia has played a huge role in the country’s success. The first director was Rod Marsh and he was tasked with finding the best young talent in the country. This talent was to be fast-tracked and set about perfecting their game. There was a focus on fitness, mental strength, and all of the cricketing skills that were needed.
How can anyone be sure that the academy has been a success? Well, when you consider that the likes of Shane Wine, Glenn McGrath, and Ricky Ponting all attended here, that’s pretty good evidence that it has helped to produce world-class players.
An holistic approach
When you look at domestic cricket in Australia, what is central to everything is the national team. The domestic game is there to produce players who are worthy of joining the best team in the world. When players have proven their worth, they are safe in the knowledge that the country takes care of its players.
There are steps taken to ensure that players are secure financially. Steps are there to ensure that players don’t overplay and risk injury. The way in which the team is cared for allows it to be at its very best every time that it takes to pitch. This all adds to the immense pride that players feel when they get to wear the kit of their country. Once a player is in, they give their all to ensure that they remain there.