Australia was the first team to play the first ODI with England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in January 1971. And since then, they have emerged as one of the best teams in 50-over cricket. Australia is the only team to have won five ODI World Cup titles. That shows the dominance of this team in this format.
However, it is not just about batting; Australia has always produced some of the world’s best bowlers. The likes of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, and Shane Warne are some of the best bowlers that the game has seen. In this article, we will cover the list of bowlers who have taken the most wickets in ODI cricket for Australia.
5. Mitchell Starc * – 211 wickets in 107 ODIs
Veteran Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc is among the best all-format bowler in modern-day cricket. Starc is known for his accurate and pacy yorkers. He made his ODI debut in October 2010 against India. Starc was an instrumental part of Australia’s 2015 ODI World Cup win. He has played a total of 107 ODIs and taken a total of 211 wickets at an economy rate of 5.08. He has also picked up eight five-wicket hauls, with the best figure of 6/28.
4. Mitchell Johnson – 239 wickets in 153 ODIs
Former Australia pacer Mitchell Johnson is the fourth highest wicket-taker for Australia in ODIs. He made his ODI debut in December 2005 against New Zealand in Christchurch. He played for 8 years and played a total of 153 ODIs in his career. Johnson had 239 wickets to his name at an economy rate of 4.83. He also took three five-wicket hauls, with the best figure of 6/31.
3. Shane Warne – 291 wickets in 193 ODIs
Legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne was the best leg-spinner that the game has seen. He made his name on the Australian pitches, which assisted the pacers most. Warne made his ODI debut in March 1993 against New Zealand and picked up 2/40 in his debut innings. He played a total of 194 ODIs and took 293 wickets to his name at an economy rate of 4.25. Warne also took 12 four-wicket hauls with the best figure of 5/33.
2. Brett Lee – 380 wickets in 221 ODIs
Brett Lee is second-most wicket taker in the ODI cricket history for Australia. Lee was the man component for Australia in 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cup wins. He made his ODI debut in January 2000 against Pakistan in Brisbane. Lee played a total of 221 ODIs for Australia and took 380 wickets in his career at an economy rate of 4.76. He also took nine five-wicket hauls, with the best figure of 5/22.
1. Glenn McGrath – 381 wickets in 249 ODIs
One of the best pacers from Australia Glenn McGrath is at the top of the list. He was the first ever bowler for Australia to take 350-plus wickets in ODIs. McGrath made his ODI debut in December 1993 against South Africa at the MCG. He represented Australia in 250 ODIs and took 381 wickets in his career at an average and economy rate of 22.02 and 3.88, respectively. McGrath took 7 fifers in ODI with the best figure of 7/15.
List of Highest Wicket Taker in ODI for Australia
| Bowler | Span | Mts | Wkts | BBI | Econ | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenn McGrath | 1993-2007 | 249 | 381 | 7/15 | 3.87 | 7 |
| Brett Lee | 2000-2012 | 221 | 380 | 5/22 | 4.76 | 9 |
| Shane Warne | 1993-2003 | 193 | 291 | 5/33 | 4.25 | 1 |
| Mitchell Johnson | 2005-2015 | 153 | 239 | 6/31 | 4.83 | 3 |
| Mitchell Starc* | 2010-2022 | 107 | 211 | 6/28 | 5.08 | 8 |
| Craig McDermott | 1985-1996 | 138 | 203 | 5/44 | 4.03 | 1 |
| Steve Waugh | 1986-2002 | 325 | 195 | 4/33 | 4.56 | 0 |
| Shane Watson | 2001-2009 | 116 | 174 | 5/47 | 4.41 | 2 |
| Brad Hogg | 2002-2015 | 190 | 168 | 4/36 | 4.95 | 0 |
| Jason Gillespie | 1996-2008 | 123 | 156 | 5/32 | 4.51 | 2 |