A Triple hundred in test innings is not a feat that is achieved very often and players who have done it have proved their mettle in the longest form of the game. Sir Don Bradman (twice), Bob Simpson, Bob Cowper, Mark Taylor, Mathew Hayden, and Michael Clarke have got triple centuries for Australia in the longest format of the game. In 2019, Australia’s Opener David Warner extended his first threefold century in Test cricket during the assistant day of the age-night Test against Pakistan in Adelaide. Of these, only 8 Test-Cricket playing nations have so widely scored a triple century in test matches. Meanwhile, Don Bradman was the quickest player to Bill two triple centuries in Test cricket.
The following list of players have achieved this feat for Australia:
No | Score | Batsmen | Against | Innings | Test | Venue | Date |
1. | 334 | Don Bradman | England | 1st | 3rd | Headingley, Leeds | 11/07/1930 |
2. | 304 | Don Bradman | England | 1st | 4th | Headingley, Leeds | 20/07/1934 |
3. | 311(c) | Bob Simpson | England | 1st | 4th | Old Trafford, Manchester | 23/07/1964 |
4. | 307 | Bob Cowper | England | 1st | 5th | Melbourne Cricket Ground | 11/02/1966 |
5. | 334*(c) | Mark Taylor | Pakistan | 1st | 2nd | Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar | 15/10/1998 |
6. | 380 | Matthew Hayden | Zimbabwe | 1st | 1st | WACA Ground, Perth | 09/10/2003 |
7. | 329*(c) | Michael Clarke | India | 1st | 2nd | Sydney Cricket Ground | 03/01/2012 |
8. | 335* | David Warner | Pakistan | 1st | 2nd | Adelaide Oval, Australia | 30/11/2019 |
Donald Bradman: is the only Australian batter ever to get a triple hundred more than once. The first triple ton in which he scored 334 is a record as it was the highest score in Test history at the time, passing Englishman Andy Sandham’s 325 made three months earlier against West Indies. got his assist triple hundred, 304 against England in Leeds. This came while batting at No.5 a record score from that position that stood for 78 years until Michael Clarke’s 329 in Sydney. Meanwhile, he was the quickest to two threefold centuries in Test cricket. The former Australia captain achieved this in just 52 matches.
Bob Simpson: One of the greatest openers Australia has ever produced along with Bill Lawry. During his innings, he faced an extraordinary 743 deliveries, still the most balls faced in a Test inning by an Australian and the third-most overall.
Bob Cowper: Cowper became the first man to score a triple century on Australian soil, surpassing Bradman’s unbeaten 299 made in Adelaide 34 years earlier. His innings lasted well over 12 hours and faced a whopping 589 deliveries.
Mark Taylor: This inning from Mark Taylor also is a special one because he decided to end at the same score as Don Bradman, the iconic 334; the number is synonymous with the legend himself. He also batted for a long time over 12 Hours and decided to declare after analyzing the strong position of Australia in the Test Match. Eventually, the match ended in a draw but Australia won the series.
Matthew Hayden: Among these triple centurions one of the finest and record-breaking innings was by Matthew Hayden, who devasted the Zimbabwean bowling attack in their first-ever Test Match on Australian Soil. He scored 380 in the innings and broke Brian Lara’s record of 375 runs in an inning. This remained the world record for the Highest individual score in Tests for a few months until it was again surpassed by Brian Lara who slammed a 400 to claim the record. Hayden’s innings is the 2nd Highest ever in Test History and the Highest by an Australian Batter.
Michael Clarke: This innings from the Australian Skipper is one of the most composed innings in Test cricket. After the collapse of the top-order pressure built on Australia while the skipper coming in at No.5 Anchored the innings and remained not out on 47 at stumps on Day 1. Resuming the batting on Day 2 he completely outplayed the Indian bowlers stitching partnerships with the greats like Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey. His Heroics in this innings got Australia a huge total and a lead of 468 runs which proved to be too much for the Indian Side eventually Australia won the match by innings and 68 runs.
David Warner: is the second Australian batter to score a triple hundred against Pakistan in Test cricket. He even averages more than 100 against Pakistan in Test cricket. Warner’s triple hundred is the first from an Aussie since former skipper Michael Clarke’s unbeaten 329 against India in January 2012. He is now the highest Test scorer at the Adelaide Oval in a single inning. His 335* was the second-highest individual score by an Australian after Matthew Hayden.
Analysis:
If we look at the triple centuries count and the opponents it is very evident from the table above that most of the Australian triple hundreds have come against England which is equally as good as the Australian team. Followed by Pakistan who has conceded 2 from the Aussies and one each by India and Zimbabwe. This also brings out the fact that Australians have Dominated generation after generation which also gives them an edge over many other Test-playing nations. Moreover, Australia is the only Test playing Nation with the Most Test Triple centurions and the Maximum Number of Players(7). This brings out yet another fact that Australia’s Test Centurions have come at different times but they have produced one of the best red-ball cricketers in the world.
Teams | Triple centuries | Players |
Australia | 8 | 7 |
West Indies | 6 | 4 |
England | 5 | 5 |
Pakistan | 4 | 4 |
Sri Lanka | 3 | 3 |
India | 3 | 2 |
South Africa | 1 | 1 |
New Zealand | 1 | 1 |
Total | 31 | 27 |
Another point to note is that from the time of Don Bradman to Mark Taylor the Test Matches are high-scoring ones but all these results have been a draw. But from Hayden’s time onwards the transition of test cricket or the evolution of Test cricket has seen more result-oriented Matches though they were high scoring. This subtle change is because of the birth of the shorter forms of the game such as ODI and T20I. As these shorter forms of the game Keep coming in more and more This will inevitably make Test Cricket more and more result oriented in the favor of one team.