Year Review: Australian team's performance in 2015

2015 was full of highs and lows for Australia. The teams underwent numbers of changes. They got a new young leader in Steve Smith. New promising faces made their way into the team and impressed. The team also saw memorable comebacks. The year began on a high for them. They announced their authority in the limited overs format and ended as the top-ranked team in ODIs. But, as the year progressed they were made to swallow the bitter pill of Test losses. However, they came back stronger in the old fashioned Australian style and won two back to back Test series at home before the end of this year. In all, Australia had a highly memorable 2015. 1. Started the year with the Border-Gavaskar trophy: Australian skipper Steve Smith was at his best in the Border-Gavaskar trophy. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Australia began 2015 with a 2-0 satisfying victory over India. The series was largely dominated by Australia but India was also competent. India managed to fight back and draw the last two Tests at Melbourne and Sydney after losing the first two at Adelaide and Brisbane. The series was special Steven Smith as he became the 45th Test captain of Australia. He celebrated that by thrashing the Indian bowlers throughout the series, scoring 769 runs in 8 innings which included four centuries and 2 half-centuries. 2. Carlton Mid-One day international series Steve Smith of Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images) Following the Border-Gavaskar series, England joined Australia and India for the Carlton Mid-One Day International series. The Aussies got the perfect preparation for the approaching ICC cricket World Cup 2015 as they won the tri-series without losing a single game. 3. Champions of the ICC cricket World Cup 2015 Australia team celebration after winning their 5th World cup title. (© Getty Images) Australia were the co-hosts of the cricketing carnival with New Zealand. They started out as the favorites to win the tournament. The Michael Clarke led Australia was dominant throughout the tournament and eventually won it for the fifth time in their history. An 111-run victory over England marked the perfect start to the journey. A low scoring thriller with New Zealand which they lost by one wicket was the only real challenge they faced in the tournament. The road ahead was a walk in the garden for them. Australia set up a title clash with New Zealand after beating Pakistan and India in the quarterfinal and semi-final. They lifted the World Cup in front of the packed MCG crowd after they beat the Kiwis in a one-sided final. Michael Clarke signed off his ODI career with an individual milestone and the ultimate team prize. 4. The Frank Worrell trophy: All-round Australia wraps the series 2-0 to win the Frank Worrell Trophy. (© Getty Images) The jubilant Australian team then travelled to West Indies for the Frank Worrell trophy. The 2-match Test series was a highly successful outing. The Aussies backed by the stupendous performance by their bowlers ransacked the Windies in the first Test. The match was over inside three days. The second Test was finished inside four days. The match was dominated by Steve Smith and Josh Hazlewood’s terrific performance. Australia, with this 2-0 win, continued their amazing 2015 and went on the most important tour of their 2015 calendar. 5. The Ashes tour to England: Mitchell Marsh. (Photo Source: Cricket.com.au Twitter Handle) Now came the real test for the Australian team- the Ashes tour. The Australians were the holders of the Ashes going into the series, having won it in 2013/14. They also looked in top notch form. However, England were prepared for the challenge and beat them 3-2 to regain the Urn. This was the first and the only defeat for them in 2015. But, it was a major one. Joe Root starred in the first Test as England went 1-0 up with an emphatic victory in the 1st Test. In the 2nd Test, Mitchell Johnson and Steven Smith inspired Australia to a 405-run victory. England then went up 2-1 in the third Test with help of sterling performances from Bell, Finn and Anderson. Australia lost the Ashes glory in the fourth Test as Stuart Broad and England thrashed them at Trent Bridge. The Aussies did not surrender after losing the series as the consolidated by whipping a victory by an innings and 46 runs in the final Test and gave a perfect send-off to retiring Michael Clarke and Chris Rogers. 6. Limited overs series with England and Ireland Australia. (© PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) After the Ashes series, Australia travelled to Belfast to play a single ODI with Ireland which they won by 23 runs. They returned to England for the limited overs series. Australia made up for the loss in the Test series by winning the 5-match ODI series 3-2. However, Australia would want to forget about the only T20I they played at Cardiff before the ODI series which they lost closely by 5 runs. In the high scoring close contest, the Aussies failed to chase the target of 183 set by England with the help of half-centuries from Moeen Ali and Eoin Morgan. While chasing, Steve Smith’s 92* and Glenn Maxwell’s 44 put the Aussies in a strong position but the tail-enders could not handle Ben Stokes in the last over and failed to finish the job. 7. Trans-Tasmanian Trophy: (© Getty Images) After a mixed performance in the away tour, Australia were back home to host the New Zealand for the Trans-Tasmanian trophy. The series was historic as the Australia and New Zealand the first ever day-night ‘Pink Ball’ Test. It was the third and the final Test of the series. Australia were already ahead 1-0 in the series after winning the first Test. The Kiwis managed to draw the second Test which marked the retirement of speedster Mitchell Johnson. The ‘Pink Ball’ Test lasted only three days but it was an electrifying match which had a tense finish. Australia squeezed a 3-wicket victory over New Zealand after chasing 187. The Kiwi bowlers led by Trent Boult (5/60) made the Australians work hard. 8. Frank Worrell Trophy: (© WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images) It was Australia’s turn to host West Indies. They ended the year with on high after they pocketed the Frank-Worrell Trophy taking an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the three-match series. The hapless and ineffectual West Indies side was beaten by 177 runs in the first Test. In the Boxing day Test, West Indies showed some character and fought hard in the last two days of the match but eventually lost the game which lasted for four days. This victory kept the Frank Worrell Trophy in possession of Australia for 20 years at a stretch. 9. Players who retired in 2015: (Photo Source: Getty Images) A horde of remarkable players like Michael Clarke, Ryan Harris, Mitchell Johnson, Brad Haddin, Chris Rogers said good-bye to the game in 2015.

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Year Review: Australian team's performance in 2015