Opening batters are known to set the tone of the innings. They act as the base of the batting lineup. A good opening partnership gives the latter batsmen to capitalize on. Australia has been one of the strongest sides, and their opening batsmen account hugely for it. Let’s look at the top 10 Australian Openers of all time.
1. Matthew Hayden
One of the best to have graced 22 yards, Matthew Hayden was an aggressive opening batsman who registered the highest score by an opening batsman in tests. Hayden opened 160 ODI matches and completely dominated bowlers. His double century against India in Chennai remains one of the most memorable innings, although he scored it in a losing game. Hayden and Langer are said to be among the most significant opening pairs of all time, scoring 5655 runs with an average of 51.88.
2. Bill Lawry
The veteran left-handed opening batsman, Bill Lawry, was “a corpse with pads on,” as it was an arduous task for bowlers to dismiss him. He debuted in 1961 and scored 5234 runs in 67 tests with 13 tons and 27 half-centuries under his belt. He was lethal while playing alongside Bob Simpson; they get said to be one of the most prolific opening pairs, who would set the tone of the inning with their solid batting.
3. Justin Langer
Langer could not cement his place in the Australian team till 2000 as he was inconsistent with the bat. But from 2000, he became an integral part of the team till he retired. He scored 7696 runs in 105 test matches with an average of 45. His 250 against England at MCG is one of the widely appreciated innings since it helped the Kangaroos win the game. He also had a partnership with Mathew Hayden, and this duo created some terrific opening partnerships that gave the team a solid start.
4. David Warner
David Warner is one of the most stylish opening batsmen of the Australian Side, who likes to keep his game aggressive. He wants to start the game with boundaries that help the team chase down big scores with ease. Apart from that, Davey handles crunch situations with ease and can win the game single-handedly. He scored 335 off 415 against Pakistan in the pink ball test match in 2019, which remains his personal favorite.
5. Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor’s stellar performance in the high-octane series, where he scored 839 runs with an average of 83.9, cemented his place in the Australian Side. He is also accountable for leading the Side to 26 Test victories. He also registered an unbeaten 334, then the highest individual score by an Aussie batsman. Taylor bid farewell to the game after scoring 7525 runs with 43.
6. Michael Slater
Slater was an explosive opening batsman who believed in churning out runs in the initial overs. With a splendid 152 against England, he gave Australia a lead in the series and cemented his place in the team. From 1993 to 1995, he scored prolifically, with an average of 50. In his eight years of career, Michael Slater scored 5312 runs with 42.84, comprising 14 Test tons.
7. Shane Watson
One of the prolific batsmen Australia has ever produced. The former opening batsman comes all-rounder’s ability to contribute both ways earned him the title of a match-winner. The ease with which he hit sixes on the back foot was extraordinary. Watson would take on spinners and clobber boundaries against them. He scored 5757 runs in ODIs with a strike rate of 139, which speaks volumes of his aggressive batting style, and he took 168 wickets.
8. Bob Simpson
Simpson scored a maiden 60 on his debut against South Africa in 1957. The veteran opener could not capitalize on the excellent start; however, he was an integral team in the 1950s and 1960s. He scored a terrific 311 against England in his 30th test match; he scored 4869 runs in 62 test matches with an average of 46. Simpson also weaved some crucial partnerships with Bill Lawry that helped Australia started.
9. Arthur Morris
The veteran Australian Opener made his debut against England in the 1947/46 Ashes series and scored three centuries, contributing hugely to the Kangaroos’ win. Arthur Morris registered 14011 runs in his initial twelve test matches, averaging around 81. In his brief career, he scored 3533 runs at an average of 46.
10. Geoff Marsh
After falling at number three, Marsh took a leap of faith and decided to open the innings, which proved to be a sterling decision since he scored 92 off 304 balls against the Indian Side. Two of his most remarkable partnerships were with David Boon and Mark Taylor. He is known as a “stonewaller” because of his formidable batting skills. However, he scored 2854 runs in 50 tests with a mediocre average of 33.
