Best of the best: Comparing Lanning's XI to Ponting's XI

After almost 18 years at the top, the 21-match winning streak of Ricky Ponting's legendary 2003 side has finally been beaten.

Australia's victory over New Zealand on Sunday saw the current group overtake Ponting's team, registering their 22nd ODI win in a row.

So how does this current side captained by Meg Lanning compare to Ponting's great team, whose streak included an undefeated run at the 2003 World Cup?

We take a closer look at both great Australian dynasties.

The streaks

Ponting XI

Ponting's side won 21 consecutive matches from January 11, 2003 to May 24 of that year, an unbeaten run that lasted 133 days.

Lanning XI

Lanning's side have been unbeaten for more than three years, a winning streak of 22 matches that stretches back to March 12, 2018, or 1119 days. They last lost a one-day international on October 29, 2017.

Top five run scorers

Ponting XI

Ricky Ponting – 738 runs @ 52.71, 3x100, 3x50

Matthew Hayden – 707 runs @41.58, 0x100, 4x50

Adam Gilchrist – 667 @ 39.23, 0x100, 6x50

Damien Martyn – 495 @ 61.87, 1x100, 5x50

Andrew Symonds – 468 @ 66.85, 1x100, 3x50

Lanning XI

Alyssa Healy – 1197 runs @ 57.00, 3x100, 8x50

Meg Lanning – 862 runs @ 53.87, 3x100, 4x50

Rachael Haynes – 862 runs @ 41.04, 1x100, 6x50

Ellyse Perry – 665 runs @ 66.50, 2x100, 4x50

Beth Mooney – 550 runs @ 45.83, 0x100, 3x50

Top five wicket takers

Ponting XI

Brett Lee – 36 wickets @ 19.27

Glenn McGrath – 29 @ 17.06

Andy Bichel – 25 @ 17.52

Brad Hogg – 25 @ 26.64

Jason Gillespie – 13 @ 15.69

Lanning XI

Jess Jonassen – 39 wickets @ 13.51

Megan Schutt – 34 wickets @ 18.20

Ellyse Perry – 26 wickets @ 19.38

Ashleigh Gardner – 26 wickets @ 20.61

Georgia Wareham – 20 wickets @ 30.20

Players used

Ponting XI

20 – Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, Ricky Ponting, Michael Bevan, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Symonds, Andy Bichel, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Ian Harvey, Jimmy Maher, Jason Gillespie, Brad Williams, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, Shane Warne, Nathan Bracken, Nathan Hauritz

Lanning XI

21 – Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Wareham, Nicola Carey, Nicole Bolton, Tayla Vlaeminck, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Lauren Cheatle, Annabel Sutherland, Heather Graham, Erin Burns, Tahlia McGrath

Most games played

Ponting XI

Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, Ricky Ponting (20), Michael Bevan (19), Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee (18)

Lanning XI

Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney (22), Meg Lanning, Megan Schutt (20)

Most common XI

(Based on the 11 players to have played the most during the streak)

Ponting XI

Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Ricky Ponting (c), Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Michael Bevan, Andrew Symonds, Brad Hogg, Andy Bichel, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath

Lanning XI

Alyssa Healy (wk), Nicole Bolton, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Rachael Haynes, Ashleigh Gardner, Nicola Carey, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt

Average age

(Based on age of most common XI at the time of the 21st win)

Ponting XI

30.8

Lanning XI

27.5

Debutants during streak

Ponting XI

1 – Michael Clarke

Lanning XI

7 – Nicola Carey, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck, Erin Burns, Heather Graham, Annabel Sutherland

Biggest winning margin

Ponting XI

v England, Sydney, Jan 2003 - Australia won by 10 wickets (with 226 balls remaining)

v Namibia, Potchefstroom, Feb 2003 – Australia won by 256 runs

Lanning XI

v Sri Lanka, Brisbane, Oct 2019 – Australia won by 9 wickets (with 139 balls remaining)

v New Zealand, Brisbane, Oct 2020 – Australia won by 232 runs

Smallest winning margin

Ponting XI

v West Indies, Kingston, May 2003 – Australia won by two runs

Lanning XI

v New Zealand, Perth, Feb 2019 – Australia won by five runs

Most dominant win

Ponting XI

Australia's most complete performance in a memorable streak came on the biggest stage there is – the World Cup final. After a blistering opening stand, a brutal 140no from skipper Ricky Ponting in a record-breaking partnership with Damien Martyn (88no) steered the Australians to 2-359 at The Wanderers. And when Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed in the opening over of the run chase, the path was clear for a 125-run win and a history-making unbeaten Cup campaign.

Lanning XI

Having gotten the better of two tight contests to start the series, Australia put one hand on the 2019 Ashes with a demolition of England in the third ODI in Canterbury. After Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy led the Aussies to a total of 7-269, Ellyse Perry blasted through England's batting with figures of 7-22, the old enemy routed for just 75 to put Australia on course for another Ashes triumph.

Tightest win

Ponting XI

Even after Andy Bichel's astonishing haul of 7-20 had silenced England following a fast start in Port Elizabeth, Australia looked to be sliding towards an upset defeat. Chasing 205 to win, the Aussies slumped to 7-114 and then 8-135 in reply before Bichel (34 not out) and Michael Bevan (74 not out) sealed an unlikely win with just two balls to spare.

Lanning XI

Barely a week before that stunning win in Canterbury, Australia had very nearly gone down in the opening match of the multi-format Ashes in 2019. Chasing 177 to win, the Aussies looked to be largely in control but lost wickets at regular intervals and needed some late batting heroics from Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince and Georgia Wareham (who made a vital 0no from 7 balls) to seal a nail-biting two-wicket win.

Best individual batting performance

Ponting XI

Ricky Ponting's knock in the 2003 World Cup final was hard to overlook, but the century Andrew Symonds scored in the opening match of the tournament was career defining. Coming to the crease with Australia in trouble at 4-86 against a rampant Pakistan pace attack, Symonds delivered a breakout performance on the biggest stage, clobbering 143no having passed 50 just twice in his previous 38 ODI knocks.

Lanning XI

In a hotly contested field, we've opted for Alyssa Healy’s maiden ODI century, when she announced herself as a destructive opening batter with a blistering score of 133 on foreign soil. In unfamiliar conditions in Baroda, Healy guided Australia to a total of 7-332 – their first 300-plus score since 2012 – as she repaid the faith of selectors who had elevated her to the top of the order.

Best individual bowling performance

Ponting XI

If not for a heel injury to Jason Gillespie, Andy Bichel wouldn't have been picked for Australia's World Cup clash against England in Port Elizabeth. But the Aussies were glad he was, with the Queenslander producing a stunning spell of 7-20 from his 10 overs, which remain the best figures in a World Cup game aside from Glenn McGrath’s 7-15 against minnows Namibia just days before Bichel's heroics.

Lanning XI

Such is the dominance of Ellyse Perry, especially in Ashes contests, you couldn't blame the English players for their vocal celebrations when they dismissed Australia's star allrounder for just seven in the third ODI of the 2019 Ashes. But Perry more than made up for a rare failure with the bat, taking 7-22 from her 10 overs – the best figures ever by an Australian woman – as England slumped to 6-21 on the way to their lowest ever total against Australia (75).