When Bill Clinton successfully used the term “It’s the economy, stupid” in his 1992 presidential campaign, he could have been thinking of the current Australian cricket team. Just change economy for overs.
To put into perspective the woefulness of how the Australian batsmen have fared in this series, in terms of overs faced, it is worth comparing to how the English fared on the disastrous 2013-14 tour.
At the corresponding time in that series at the end of the fourth Test the English had managed to face a total of 656 overs with Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris at full pelt. An average of 82 per innings
Not a great effort but still better than the Aussies have managed this series.
Thus far the Australians have faced 560 overs, nearly 200 of which were at Lord’s, for an average per innings of 70. Take out Lord’s and that drops to 60 per innings.
The total number of overs England faced in the 2013-14 series was 755 in a right royal 5-0 thumping. That means Australia would need to face 195 overs in the forthcoming Test to reach those heady heights.
To put it in further perspective the Aussies managed to face 811 when they last toured England, meaning they would need to face over 250 overs this Test to meet that mark.
This is an astonishing difference and demonstrates the fragility of the current batting line-up.
The old adage, and a favourite of Geoffrey Boycott, of “occupy the crease and the runs will come” clearly holds in this series. At least in the last Ashes series England attempted to occupy the crease.
Talking of Boycott, compare it to when Australia lost in England in 1977. A summer of inclement weather and a comparable 3-0 margin. In that losing series the Australians still managed to face over 900 overs, days were lost in a couple of Tests but still over 900 overs.
In comparison, and if current form is anything to go by, this Australian team may face as few as 650. Nearly 40 years between those series but it equates to something in the order of 50 overs per Test.
Of course all of this may point to technique, the Dukes ball, better batting wickets in Australia, and overcast conditions in England. But what it really talks to is the notion of grit and backbone.
The notion that building an innings in true Test match style is a dying art.
To build a Test match innings batsmen need patience, guile and technique. But most importantly the ability to blunt attacks and absorb overs.
On all levels the Australians have achieved none of the above.
If things are to improve at the Oval someone needs to tell them it’s about the overs they face.
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