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Bettingsite’s Top 10 Australian sporting moments of 2023

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What a year 2023 has been for those who are lovers of Australian sport. From Penrith and Collingwood sending their fans into raptures to the men’s cricket side conquering just about everything in front of them and the Matilda’s uniting a nation during their Women’s World Cup run.

Bettingsite.com.au has compiled our top 10 Australian sporting moments of 2023 to recap the year that’s been. From all of us here at Bettingsite, we wish you and your family a safe, and happy new year.

#10 Ange Postecoglou makes immediate Premier League impact

How good is it to see an Australian excelling on the world stage? Ange Postecoglou has taken to management in the English Premier League like a duck to water since taking over the reigns as Tottenham Hotspur’s boss at the start of the 2023–24 season. Postecoglou had tasted success in Japan and then with Scotland’s powerhouse Celtic before taking up the role in North London.

Postecoglou took out the Premier League Manger of the Month in August, September and October, with Tottenham making an eye-catching start to life under Ange. Having been hit with a plethora of injuries in recent weeks, Tottenham find themselves in 5th place entering 2024, but with Champions League qualification well within reach, life is looking good for Tottenham Hotspur and Ange Postecoglou fans alike.

#9 Glenn Maxwell’s 201* in ICC World Cup

Will we ever see a better One Day International innings than what Glenn Maxwell produced against Afghanistan during the World Cup? Almost definitely not. ‘Maxi’ came to the crease with the score at 4/49, with Australia needing to chase down 292 to keep their World Cup tilt alive. Slumped at 7/91, Australia were next to no hope. Enter Glenn Maxwell.

Glenn Maxwell would go on to etch his name into ICC World Cup folklore with one of the more breathtaking innings you will ever see. Combining with captain Pat Cummins, the pair put on an unbeaten stand of 202, with Cummins contributing just 12 runs. Maxwell would go on to finish on 201*, the highest score made by an Australian in men’s ODI’s. What made the innings even more astonishing was the fact that Maxwell could hardly move for most of his innings, with the Victorian succumbing to cramp. Maxwell would finish with 21 fours and 10 sixes in a truly remarkable innings.

#8 Diamonds win the Netball World Cup

The potential for this achievement to be overlooked looms large due to the constant pressure and expectations on the Diamonds to secure victories in these international competitions.

The triumph in the 2023 Netball World Cup held in South Africa marked the successful culmination of their pursuit to once again possess all the major titles in the sport simultaneously.

This victory held special significance as it came against England in the final, a team that had previously defeated Australia just three days before. The Diamonds silenced the opposition’s trash talk by securing a decisive 16-goal victory.

The standout moment of the final was the strategic decision to replace both shooters in the second quarter, a coaching move that is ultimately judged by its outcome—considered brilliant if the team emerges victorious and deemed ludicrous if they face defeat.

In this case, Stacey Marinkovich’s coaching prowess shone through as Australia clinched the World Cup for the impressive 12th time.

#7 Oscar Piastri wins first Formula 1 race

In a historic moment for Australian Formula 1 fans, Oscar Piastri secured his first-ever victory by fending off the 2023 world champion, Max Verstappen, in the Qatar Sprint.

The race unfolded in a chaotic manner, characterised by tyre management challenges, multiple incidents, and three safety car periods. Piastri showcased remarkable composure to clinch the win with a 1.8-second lead over Verstappen, adding another remarkable chapter to his already impressive rookie season.

The 19-lap Sprint proved to be a challenging endeavour for the Australian driver. Although he executed a flawless start, he temporarily lost the lead to George Russell at around the halfway mark. Russell managed to build a considerable lead, reaching as far as 1.4 seconds. However, the strategic decision by McLaren to opt for medium tyres for Piastri instead of softs turned the tide.

Taking advantage of the tyre choice, Piastri surged ahead of Russell after the final Safety Car restart and maintained a commanding lead. Notably, he faced no serious challenge from Verstappen, securing a memorable Sprint victory. This triumph marked a reversal of fortunes from the previous race in Spa, where Piastri led but ultimately finished in second place.

#6 Collingwood win 2023 AFL Grand Final

They were the best team all year, and come AFL Grand Final Day, Collingwood avoided the dreaded ‘Colliwobbles’ to lift the premiership cup for the first time since 2010. Remarkably, Craig McRae’s men became somewhat likeable; something 5 years ago, any normal AFL fan would be unable to call Collingwood. Led by an inspired Bobby Hill performance, the Pies managed to hold on against a fast-finishing Brisbane Lions outfit in one of the best games of Aussie Rules we have seen in recent times.

The Pies were made to work for their premiership success, just holding off the red-hot GWS Giants in a cracking preliminary final and needing off-season recruit Bobby Hill to play a career-best game when it mattered most. Despite a couple of key injuries to key players, Collingwood managed to put it all together when it mattered most and picked up a 16th AFL/VFL Premiership win.

#5 Australia win the ICC Test Championship

Despite coming off a 2-1 series loss to India in India, the Australian men’s test side put in a near-perect display in the ICC World Test Championship Final at The Oval in June to convincingly beat the Indian juggernaught by 209 runs. Having been sent in on a tricky surface, the Aussies found themselves in a spot of bother at 3/76 inside 25 overs. Enter Steve Smith and Travis Head.

The pair would go on and put on a partnership of 285 runs on Australia’s way to posting a commanding first innings score of 469. From there, only one result was on the table, with the Aussies backing up their superb form with the bat by skittling India for 296. Australia would declare their second innings closed at 8/270 before Nathan Lyon spun his side to a memerable test cricket victory with a haul of 4/41, alongside Scott Boland’s 3/46.

#4 Penrith complete remarkable Grand Final comeback

In the realm of domestic football Grand Finals, has there ever been a player who single-handedly dominated and dictated the course of the game?

Penrith’s pursuit of a third consecutive NRL premiership seemed on the brink of collapse against the formidable Brisbane Broncos. Facing a daunting 24-8 deficit nearing the hour mark, it was Nathan Cleary who emerged as the catalyst for the most remarkable comeback in Grand Final history.

Cleary’s performance not only orchestrated the turnaround but also garnered praise from pundits, with many speculating that he could be a future Immortal of the sport. This singular display of dominance and determination left an indelible mark on the annals of Grand Final lore.

#3 Matilda’s unite a nation during World Cup Semi-Final run

The Matildas’ World Cup run unified Australia like nothing else. Beyond sports, it became a source of national pride, showcasing the country’s ability to host major events and drawing record crowds to a Women’s World Cup.

Led by the charismatic Sam Kerr, the team faced early setbacks, including Kerr’s late withdrawal due to injury. Despite unconvincing early performances, the Matildas defied the odds in knockout football.

A resounding 4-0 victory over Olympic champions Canada and a thrilling penalty shootout triumph against France defined their journey.

The Semi Final against England, breaking prime-time records, featured a Sam Kerr wonder goal that had Australian’s dreaming of the ultimate success. Unfortunately, the Matilda’s were knocked out of the tournament that night.

By the tournament’s end, the nation had fallen for Australia’s newest star, Mary Fowler, and the Matildas, solidifying their place in Australian hearts.

#2 Australia wins the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup in India

The Australian men’s cricket team got their crowning moment in November when the they claimed 2023 ICC Men’s ODI in India against India against all odds.

India entered the final having won every single game throughout the tournament, while Australia entered the final on the back of some amazing individual performances.

Surprises were aplenty right away, especially when Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl. What a decision that turned out to be!

The Aussies would restrict the hosts to a below-par score of 240, led by Mitch Starc’s 3/55 and some outstanding catching in the field, none more so than Travis Head’s catch to dismiss India’s captain Rohit Sharma.

The Aussies were in a world of pain early on in their chase, falling to 3/47 by the end of the seventh over, with in-form duo David Warner (7) and Mitch Marsh (15) back in the hut early.

However, Travis Head was once again Australia’s hero, blasting a better than a run-a-ball century, finishing on 137, with Marnus Labuschagne proving a handy partner, compiling a test match-like 58* off 110 balls.

The silence from the 90,000+ Indian-strong crowd was arguably the best noise Aussie cricket fans could hear when Glenn Maxwell hit the winning runs.

#1 Alex Carey stumps Jonny Bairstow

So many of these top 10 moments could have been #1, but how could we go past Alex Carey sending the cricket world bonkers with his stumping of Jonny Bairstow on Day 5 of the Lord’s test match during the Ashes.

Having ducked under a Cameron Green bouncer, England’s keeper clearly had lunch on his mind and ventured out of his crease, just as Alex Carey flung the cricket ball towards the stumps, and in doing so hitting them.

It was clearly something the Aussies had spoken about, based on captain Pat Cummins’ immediate reaction.

The reaction towards the Aussies was feral from the Lord’s crowd, with several Lord’s members hurling abuse at the Australian cricket team as they walked through the long room.

The Aussies would get the final laugh at Lord’s winning the test by 43 runs, despite Ben Stokes’ incredible 155 in the fourth innings of the match.

It would be the talking point of the series, which culminated in Australia retaining the Ashes following a 2-2 series draw, in what can only be described as one of the great test series in quite some time.

Let us know what your Top 10 Australian sporting moments was in the comment section below!

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Topics: AFL, Ange Postecoglou, Collingwood Magpies, Cricket, Featured, FIFA Women's World Cup, Formula One, Glenn Maxwell, ICC Test Championship, ICC World Cup, Nathan Cleary, Netball, Oscar Piastri, Penrith Panthers

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