Curse could haunt Aussies at World Cup

Over the last 15 years, Nottingham's Trent Bridge has produced some of Australian cricket's most dramatic and heartbreaking moments.

The latest chapter was completed on Tuesday when an undermanned and green Australian bowling attack were pummelled as England powered their way to 6-481, the highest total in the history of men's ODIs.

Worryingly for Justin Langer's side, next year's World Cup schedule has them playing not one, but two matches at the venue, both against teams they will likely be favoured to beat: West Indies and Bangladesh.

Will the Trent Bridge curse strike again?

From classic Ashes encounters to a tournament-ending World T20 defeat, here's Australia's recent tumultuous history at the Nottingham venue.

2018: England v Australia, third ODI

On Tuesday, England continued Australia's troubling history in Nottingham when they smashed a new world record one-day score of 6-481, beating the previous mark of 3-444 as they pulverised Australia's bowlers at Trent Bridge.

Needing a win to keep the series alive, Australia won the toss and sent the hosts in. But that was about the only thing that went Australia's way as Jonny Bairstow smashed 139 – his fourth ODI century in 2018 – while Hales hit 147 and captain Eoin Morgan powered to a 21-ball fifty, the quickest in England's ODI history.

England had looked on track to threaten a score of 500 such was their pace, but Australia's bowlers at least avoided that humiliation as they benefited from the hosts throwing the bat.

In response, Travis Head's 51 was the top score as Australia were bowled out for 239 in 37 overs on a wicket custom-made for run scoring, giving England an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.

A downcast Australia captain Tim Paine later reflected on the Trent Bridge shellacking as the "hardest day of cricket I've ever had in my life".

2015: England v Australia, Fourth Test

Sent in by England and needing to avoid defeat to keep their chances of retaining the Ashes alive, Australia's hopes were spectacularly dashed inside 19 overs and just 94 minutes as Michael Clarke's team were skittled for 60.

A rampant Stuart Broad captured 8-15 in 9.3 overs, the most destructive return against Australia in more than 30 years as only two batsmen – Clarke (10) and Mitchell Johnson (13) – managed to reach double figures. Sundries top scored with 14.

It was Australia's second-lowest completed innings in more than 100 years (after the 47 in Cape Town in 2011) and the quickest first innings in terms of balls faced in the history of Test cricket.

From that position, there was no recovery for Australia. England's batsmen suffered no such problems on the same pitch, a century from Joe Root helping the hosts to 9-391 dec, and an improved performance from Australia in their second dig still couldn't force England to bat again. 

By the time England wrapped up an innings-and-78-run victory inside three days, Australia had lost the Ashes and Clarke had announced his impending retirement.

2013: England v Australia, first Test

A dramatic, see-sawing affair, the opening match of the 2013 Ashes series ended in a narrow defeat and heartbreak for Australia.

England's opening innings of 215 was considered disappointing, but it was Australia who were in all sorts at 9-117 in reply. It took a stunning debut knock from No.11 Ashton Agar to revive the Australians, the 19-year-old entering Ashes folklore with his 98 and giving his team an unexpected 65-run lead.

England reclaimed the upper hand in the third innings, Ian Bell scoring a ton to set Australia a target of 311.

An 84-run opening stand raised Australian spirits, before a mini-collapse of 3-3 again gave England the ascendancy. But a fighting Brad Haddin refused to give up, scoring a half-century and edging Australia ever-closer to their goal – only to be caught behind off the bowling of James Anderson on 71, the last man to fall with his team still 15 runs shy of their target.

2009: England v Australia, fifth and sixth ODIs

The one bright note in an otherwise gloomy recent Trent Bridge record, with Australia winning two ODIs in the space of three days at the venue in 2009.

The tourists already held a 4-0 advantage in the seven-match ODI series heading into the first of the day clashes, and maintained that unbeaten run when they brilliantly chased down England's imposing 299 in the fifth ODI.

A Ricky Ponting masterclass provided the platform, as the Australia captain produced a brilliant 126 from 105 deliveries. He was well supported by Michael Clarke (52) before Cameron White (24no) and Mitchell Johnson (18no) completed the chase with 10 balls to spare.

Two days later, the equation was reversed when Australia, batting first, posted 8-296 from their 50 overs, led by a Tim Paine century.

They then backed up their batting performance with the ball, James Hopes' three wickets and Ponting's two run-outs crucial as Australia claimed a 111-run victory.

2009: Australia v Sri Lanka, World T20 group stage

Australia's hopes of taking out the World T20 tournament for the first time were dashed at Trent Bridge, at the hands of Sri Lanka.

The Australians had already lost their opening match to the West Indies by seven wickets and needed to defeat Sri Lanka to have any hope of making it out of the group stage.

But none of the Australian batsmen could fire after being sent in to bat, with Mitchell Johnson (28no off 13) the most impressive as they posted 9-159.

Led by half-centuries from skipper Kumar Sangakkara and opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka reached their target with six wickets in hand and an over to spare, sealing their spot in the Super Eights and ending Australia's tournament.

2005: England v Australia, fourth Test

An Ashes series that's gone down in history as one of the most entertaining and fiercely fought in history, the Trent Bridge Test moved England another step closer to reclaiming the coveted urn for the first time since 1986-87.

Bundled out for 218 in reply to England's first-innings total of 477, Ricky Ponting's team suffered the humiliation of being asked to follow-on by opposition skipper Michael Vaughan.

But a vastly improved second dig, led by half-centuries from Justin Langer, Michael Clarke and Simon Katich, breathed a little bit of life into the contest, setting England a target of 129 with five sessions of cricket left to play.

It seemed likely to be a routine chase for England when openers Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss made starts, but the match was turned on its head when Shane Warne captured three wickets before Brett Lee chimed in to leave the hosts precariously poised at 4-57.

Andrew Flintoff (26) and Kevin Pietersen (23) steadied the ship with a stand of 46 before both fell in quick succession to Lee, again lifting Australia's hopes at 6-111. But a final wicket to Warne with 13 runs still required wasn't enough for the tourists to steal a famous victory, England edging home by three wickets.

Qantas tours of the UK and Zimbabwe

Australia ODI squad: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Mark Wood

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey

Qantas Tour of the UK

June 7: Australia beat Sussex by 57 runs at Hove

June 9: Australia beat Middlesex by 101 runs at Lord's

June 13: England won by three wickets at The Oval

June 16: England won by 38 runs in Cardiff

June 19: England won by 242 runs at Trent Bridge

June 21: Fourth ODI, Durham (D/N)

June 24: Fifth ODI, Old Trafford

June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)

Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe

July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

July 2: Pakistan vs Australia

July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

July 8: Final