Top 10 Australian no.3 batsmen of all time

Australia are the most successful team in world cricket with 5 World Cups, two Champions Trophies and two bouts of 16-match winning streak in Tests. The Land Down Under has produced several brilliant batsmen over the years and many of them have gone on to become all-time greats of the sport.

There have been a number of great Aussie batsmen who have batted at No.3 and have played numerous dazzling knocks. Here are the 10 best No.3 batsmen Australia have ever produced.

#10. Justin Langer

Many might be surprised to see Justin Langer on this list as he was seen opening the innings more often. However, till the early 2000s, Langer used to bat at No.3 for Australia in Tests.

Langer actually cemented his spot in the Australian cricket team while batting at No.3. In 61 innings, Langer scored 2,457 runs at an average of 41.64. These are the 7th highest runs by an Australian No.3 batsman in Tests.

Langer hit 11 fifties and 7 of his 23 Test hundreds including a double century while batting at number 3. Langer won three of his Man of the Match awards and a Man of the Series award when he batted at No.3.

#9. Clem Hill

Clem Hill was one of the greatest No.3 batsmen during his playing days

One of Australia’s finest cricketers during the early 20th century, Clem Hill scored nearly 3/4th of his 3,412 Test runs while batting at No.3. In 63 innings, Hill scored 2534 runs at an average of 41.21. The former Aussie skipper hit 14 fifties and 5 of is 7 Test hundreds while batting at No.3. His numbers are the 6th highest for any Australian No.3 batsman.

In 1902, Hill became the first cricketer to score 1,000 runs in a calendar year and he did so in 21 innings. He batted in 19 of them at No.3. Hill’s highest Test score also came while batting at No.3. It was 191 off just 200 balls against South Africa at Sydney in 1910. Such a steady score was once in a blue moon back then and is still pretty rare in Test cricket these days.

#8. Greg Chappell

Chappell played some fine knocks at No.3

One of the greatest batsmen that Australia have ever produced, Greg Chappell scored nearly 10,000 runs in international cricket and more than 1/4th of them came while batting at No.3. In 38 Test innings, Chappell scored 1,649 runs at an average of 43.39.

Chappell scored two double centuries while batting at No.3, both innings eventually ending on 296 deliveries. His highest Test score while batting at No.3 is 204 against India at Sydney in 1981. Chappell’s Test performances at No.3 earned him two Man of the Match awards.

In ODIs, Chappell scored 954 runs from 27 innings at an average of 43.36. His numbers are the fifth highest for any Australian No.3 batsman. Chappell scored two of his three ODI hundreds while batting at No.3. This included his highest ODI score of 138 from 109 balls against New Zealand at Sydney in 1980. Chappell’s ODI performances at No.3 earned him 5 Man of the Match awards.

#7. Neil Harvey

Harvey played some spectacular knocks while batting at No.3

Neil Harvey was one of Australia’s finest batsmen during the 1950s. Harvey scored 3,454 of his 6,159 Test runs (56.08%) from 79 innings while batting at No.3, averaging 46.67. This is the 5th highest for an Australian No.3 batsman and 17th highest overall.

Harvey hit 14 fifties and 12 of his 21 Test hundreds while batting at No.3. His highest Test score of 205 against South Africa at Melbourne also came while he was batting at No.3. He scored this knock from 295 deliveries at a strike rate of almost 70 which was an unusual feat in Tests back then.

#6. David Boon

Boon played several brilliant knocks while batting at No.3

The big-built, moustached David Boon was one Australia’s finest cricketers during his era. While batting at No.3, Boon scored 4,826 runs from 124 innings, averaging 44.27. Boon is 5th amongst the highest run-getters by Australian No.3 batsmen in international cricket.

In Tests, Boon scored 4,412 runs which is the 3rd highest for an Australian No.3 batsman and 9th for any No.3 batsman. Boon averaged 45.48 and scored 13 of his 21 Test centuries. His highest Test score while batting at No.3 is an unbeaten 164 against England at Lord’s in 1993. Boon’s Test performances at No.3 earned him a Man of the Match award.

In ODIs however, Boon scored only 414 runs while batting at No.3, averaging 34.50. Boon scored three fifties with his highest score being 71 against Pakistan at Sharjah.

#5. Ian Chappell

Ian Chappell played some splendid knocks at No.3

One of Australia’s finest cricketers, Ian Chappell scored more than 80% of his international runs while batting at No.3. Chappell scored 4,829 runs at an average of 49.27 which is the 4th highest for an Australian No.3 batsman.

In Tests, Chappell batted at No.3 for most of his career, scoring 4,279 runs. This is the 4th highest for any Australian No.3 batsman and 10th highest for any No.3 batsmen. Chappell scored 13 of his 14 Test centuries while batting at No.3, including his highest Test score of 196 against Pakistan at Adelaide in 1972.

In ODIs, Chappell scored 550 of his 673 runs while batting at No.3, averaging 39.28. Chappell hit 6 of his 8 half-centuries in ODIs while batting at No.3, including his highest ODI score of 86 against New Zealand at Christchurch in 1974.

#4. Steven Smith

Smith has been nothing short of impressive at No.3

Australia’s current skipper Steven Smith may have scored fewer runs than Steve Waugh and David Boon at No.3 but he averages higher than them. Smith has scored 4,369 runs at an average of 56.74.

In Tests, Smith did not bat at No.3 until 2015 and since then, he has done a tremendous job at that position. Smith has scored 1744 runs at an impressive average of 67.07. Smith has already scored 8 centuries while batting at No.3 including a double-century against England at Lord’s in 2015. Smith’s Test batting performances at No.3 has earned him 3 Man of the Match awards and a Man of the Series award.

In ODIs Smith began batting at No.3 from 2014 and has so far scored 2,431 runs, that are more than 73% of his total ODI runs. He averages 54.02 and has scored 7 of his eight ODI centuries while batting at No.3. His highest ODI score of 164 against New Zealand has also come while batting at No.3.

During the 2015 World Cup, Smith scored 50-plus runs in five consecutive innings that included a century against India in the semi-final and an unbeaten 56 against New Zealand in the final. Smith’s ODI batting performances at No.3 has earned him 6 Man of the Match awards and a Man of the Series award.

In T20Is, Smith has so far scored 194 runs which is the 4th highest for an Australian No.3 batsman. His only T20I half-century at No.3 is his highest T20I score of 90 against England in 2015.

#3. Don Bradman

The great Don Bradman played most of his finest career knocks at No.3

The greatest Australian batsman of all-time Don Bradman batted most of his career at No.3. Bradman scored 5,098 of his 6,996 Test runs (72.5%) while batting at No.3. This is the second most number of runs for any Australian No.3 batsman and the 5th highest for any No.3 batsman.

Bradman averaged a mammoth 103.63 and scored 20 of his 29 Test hundreds while batting at No.3. He scored 9 of his 12 double hundreds while batting at No.3. Bradman’s highest Test score of 334 against England at Leeds in 1930 was also scored when he batted at No.3.

#2. Dean Jones

Dean Jones has been one of Australia's greatest No.3 batsmen

At No.2, we have one of Australia’s finest batsmen during the mid-80s and early-90s. Dean Jones scored 6,267 of his 9,699 runs in international cricket while batting at No.3. This is the 2nd most number of runs for any Australian No.3 batsman and 12th most for any No.3 batsman.

In Tests, Jones scored 1,167 runs from 28 innings while batting at No.3. Jones averaged 48.62 and scored three of his 11 Test hundreds. His highest score while batting at No.3 is 218 against India at Chennai in 1986 when he first batted at No.3 in Tests. Jones Test batting performances at No.3 earned him two Man of the Match awards.

In ODIs, Jones has scored 84.08% of his 6,068 ODI runs while batting at No.3. Jones has scored 5100 runs which is the second most number of runs by an Australian No.3 batsman and the 5th highest by any No.3 batsman. Jones averages 43.58 and has scored all of his ODI centuries while batting at No.3 including his highest ODI score of 145 against England at Brisbane in 1990. Jones’ ODI batting performances at No.3 has earned him 16 Man of the Match awards.

#1. Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting is statistically the greatest No.3 batsman of all-time across all formats

Unsurprisingly, Ricky Ponting takes the top spot. As a matter of fact, Ponting has scored more runs than any No.3 batsman in the world in all the formats combined.

Ponting has scored 22,869 runs while batting at No.3. This is the most number of runs by any batsman in any position.

In Tests, Ponting scored 9,904 runs while batting at No.3. This is the 3rd most number of runs by any No.3 batsman with only Kumar Sangakkara and Rahul Dravid scoring more runs.

Ponting averages 56.27 and has scored 32 of his 41 Test centuries including 5 of his 6 double centuries. His highest Test score of 257 against India at Melbourne also came while batting at No.3.

Ponting’s Test performances at No.3 has earned him 13 Man of the Match awards and two Man of the Series awards.

In ODIs, Ponting scored 12662 runs (92.4% of his ODI runs) while batting at No.3. This is the most number of runs by any No.3 batsman in ODIs.

Ponting averages 42.48 and has scored 29 of his 30 ODI centuries while batting at No.3 including his highest score of 164 against South Africa at Johannesburg.

Ponting’s ODI batting performances at No.3 has earned him 30 Man of the Match awards and 6 Man of the Series awards.

In T20Is, Ponting scored 303 runs, which is the most number of runs by an Australian batsman. Punter averages 23.30 and has scored a fifty. Ponting’s solitary T20I fifty at No.3 is 76 against India at Mumbai in 2007 which eventually came in a losing cause.