Australia on Monday lost to New Zealand despite scoring a mammoth 346 for five in the third and final one-dayer of the three-match series.
New Zealand thus achieved the second highest winning total for a side batting second. The highest still remains South Africa's 438-9 also against Australia at Johannesburg last year.
Interestingly the top four slots in the losing column have all been taken by Australia!
Score | Winner | Margin | Loser | Score | Venue | Season |
438-9 | SA | 1 wicket | Aus | 434-4 | Johannesburg | 2005-06 |
350-9 | NZ | 1 wicket | Aus | 346-5 | Hamilton | 2006-07 |
337-5 | NZ | 5 wickets | Aus | 336-4 | Auckland | 2006-07 |
332-8 | NZ | 2 wickets | Aus | 331-7 | Christchurch | 2005-06 |
330-7 | Aus | 3 wickets | SA | 326-3 | Port Elizabeth | 2001-02 |
326-8 | Ind | 2 wickets | Eng | 325-5 | Lord's | 2002 |
325-5 | Ind | 5 wickets | WI | 324-4 | Ahmedabad | 2002-03 |
324-2 | SL | 8 wickets | Eng | 321-7 | Headingley | 2006 |
319-7 | Pak | 3 wickets | Ind | 315-6 | Ahmedabad | 2004-05 |
316-7 | Ind | 3 wickets | Pak | 314-5 | Dhaka | 1997-98 |
316-4 | Aus | 6 wickets | Pak | 315-8 | Lahore | 1998-99 |
The defeat was Australia's fifth in as many matches - a rare sight indeed.
The last time Australia had lost five matches in a row was about nine years back. Australia are now one short of equaling their worst streak of consecutive defeats.
The following table gives details of instances when Australia lost five matches in a row:
Matches | Season | Captain |
6 | 1996-97 | Mark Taylor (5)/Ian Healy (1) |
5 | 1986-87 | Allan Border (4)/Geoff Marsh (1) |
5 | 1996-97 | Mark Taylor |
5 | 1996-97 to 1997-98 | Steve Waugh (3)/Mark Taylor (2) |
5 | 2006-07 | Ricky Ponting (2)/Mike Hussey (3) |