On Australia’s upcoming Test tour, the West Indian pitches will offer plenty to spinners. This also looks to be a distinct possibility in the following Ashes series.
Having been bullied by Australia’s quicks on hard decks down under, England will request home pitches which will nullify them, just as they did in the 2013 Ashes.
In that series, which England won 3-0, the pitches were unusually parched. This had the two-fold effect of not only lessening the impact of Australia’s fast men but increasing the potency of gun English spinner Graeme Swann.
Australia’s pacemen still did a terrific job against England’s batting line-up, with their highest team total a meagre 375 in the five-Test series. Ian Bell was the only English batsman to average above 40 for the series.
The Australian batsmen wasted the good work of their teammates with frequent collapses across the series. Swann revelled in the made-to-order conditions, snaring 26 wickets to be easily his side’s leading wicket taker.
Australia’s struggles in that series were reflective of a trend of drastically underperforming with the bat on dry surfaces.
This issue was again highlighted in Australia’s two-Test series against Pakistan in the UAE. On pitches which resembled the country’s deserts, yet offered no extravagant levels of spin, many of Australia’s batsmen floundered. Only Steve Smith looked consistently unflustered against Pakistan’s tweakers, while Chris Rogers, Alex Doolan, Brad Haddin and even the normally spin-fluent Michael Clarke all laboured.
Between them, Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar reaped 26 wickets in the two Tests.
Australia were exposed for their poor tactics, or perhaps complete lack of strategy, against spin bowlers. All too often they played them from the crease. They never forced Pakistan’s spinners to change their lengths by getting to the pitch of their deliveries or by moving back deep into the crease to cut or pull.
This won’t have escaped England’s notice. They’ll know that their chances of regaining the Ashes would be healthier on pitches which are low and slow, more closely resembling Asian conditions than typical UK decks. With all-rounder Moeen Ali batting in the top six while also proving an incisive spinner, England have the scope to play a second specialist tweaker alongside three quicks.
Who that second spinner would be is not clear, although offie James Tredwell has again showed in the on-going Tests in the West Indies that he is an underrated operator.
Australia have two Tests of their own in the Windies in June and will almost certainly use that series to audition leggie Fawad Ahmed for a potential Ashes debut.
Incumbent spinner Nathan Lyon looks entrenched in the team and has in his favour a very good Ashes record – 28 wickets at an average of 30 from eight Tests.
A startling display from Ahmed against the West Indies could still vault him into the Ashes line-up, particularly if England serve up a spin-friendly deck, or several as seems likely.
Such a scenario may also depend heavily on the bowling output of Shane Watson and/or fellow all-rounder Mitch Marsh. If one or both of them is proving effective and reliable with the ball Australia would be more comfortable going into an Ashes Test with two frontline tweakers.
But first, Ahmed needs to prove in the Windies that he is capable of hurdling the gap between first-class cricket and Tests. Given how dry the Test decks typically are in that part of the world, he may even get two matches to make an impact.
If Ahmed does so then don’t be surprised to see Australia making the unusual move of fielding two slow bowlers at some point in the Ashes.
b
Guest
Harris and Johnson are the best bowling combination in world cricket, by a considerable margin, they are instant picks in an Australian test team. Warner Rodgers Smith Clarke Voges/ or whoever they are going to try for that position Haddin (still the best gloveman in the country) Johnson Starc Harris Lyon Hazlewood
b
Guest
You are missing the point with the Johnson as an all rounder comment. It's not just Johnson, it's our whole bowling attack. Johnson, Harris, Starc, Hazelwood, are all capable and combined they easily cover the all rounder spot. Even the next level of bowlers waiting for a chance can all bat. Ad Haddin to the mix, who is still a very capable batsman, and we just have no need for an all rounder. With the battling and bowling ability of our bowlers, and the quality of our top five, a sixth batsmen should also be unnecessary, it's a safety net anticipating failure. We need to have confidence in our side, our top five batsmen have the ability to score all the runs we need, with contributions from the keeper and bowlers. Our bowlers, especially with five specialists, should be able to handle any batting line up in world cricket. 5-1-5 is the perfect balance for the talent available.
b
Guest
Why should we be relying on part timers like Watson or Marsh to begin with? We don't have bunnies in our side any more, all our fast bowlers are capable with the bat, even saving the team on a regular basis in recent times. It's time to dump the all rounder and pick another specialist bowler. Not only can the bowlers cover the all rounder runs, but an extra bowler also makes the all rounders run contribution less important due to chasing lower totals. As for two spinners, let's toss the ball to Warner, Smith and Clarke (if fit enough) more often, get them bowling some overs. They are all capable of contributing with the ball, and with the quality of our pace attack, an all rounder spinner is far more valuable than anything Watson or Marsh has to offer.
b
Guest
You are right, but Australian selectors have an all rounder obsession, and I'd be very surprised if they could overcome this compulsion and make a wise selection. None of our current bowlers are McGraths, our entire pace attack are better than a traditional number 11, or 10, we can easily afford to drop the all rounder for a specialist bowler.
Don Freo
Guest
Doran's keeping is interesting. He is not keeping for Oz U19s and Ben McDermott kept ahead of him earlier this year. Yet he says he wants to keep his hand in. Then he goes to Tassie where they have Paine, Dunk, have just added Triffitt to the squad and Ben McDermott has just moved there too...5 keepers! I watched him keep in the Big Bash and he is a very polished keeper...not just a Matthew Wade backstop type. His batting, however, is just magic. Apparently he is (and was in this series) brilliant in the field. That seems to be where it will go.
Bearfax
Guest
Oh shock of shocks. I have to agree with you on this one Don. I was going to raise the issue when the subject was closer to the U19 comp being completed but as you've raised it, I am left with having to concur. Richardson and Thornton, Australia's U19 fast bowling front liners, have been outstanding and along with the batting of young Doran have given Australia a 3-1 lead in the five match comp. Richardson has taken 12 wickets so far at 13.2 per wicket. Thornton has taken 9 wickets at 14.3. Twice they have demolished England, with total scores in the first match of 109 and the fourth at 138, for easy victories. Outstanding efforts. Meanwhile rising star Jake Doran has had scores of 29 not out, 82, 102 and 8 not out for an average of 110.5. Add to that his prelim match against the same team in the warm up of 169 and he has averaged so far 130 against this English U19 side. There is one match to go but these three young players are standouts in this competition and the reason Australia U19 side is winning so handsomly
Don Freo
Guest
Just to whet the appetite for Aussie quicks further, I hope you have all been following the way the Aussie U19 quicks, Jhye Richardson and Henry Thornton have been monstering the Poms. WA's Richardson is very fast (delivered the fastest ever recorded at the Institute, indoor nets). The Aussie bats hardly ever got to chase a score.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
It's pointless having an all-rounder though if they can't contribute. Australia have very successfully in the past played with only 4 front line bowlers. Watson barely contributes enough with bat or bowls enough overs with the ball to be the all-rounder they need. Marsh should be tried, Watson has only a few years left of automatic selection before he retires anyway.
Brian
Guest
Well we got rid of siddle, I wonder how much longer it will take for the acb to see that Lyon doesn't offer anything that a part timer like Maxwell (who will be superior than Lyon in time now that he's trying to improve his spin) does. For me it's Ahmed or nobody at all/ Maxwell (sok is blacklisted for some reason).
Timmuh
Guest
No, the bowlers won't intimidate much on slow decks. But I would still back the extra paceman to help get 20 cheapish wickets over a second spinner. It may mean playing only one of Johnson and starred, but I feel only one should play anyway in most conditions. Harris, Hazelwood, and one of the quicker left armers looks a far trickier prospect in most conditions, certainly damp low slow wickets England will produce, than two spinners. I'd happily see smith bowl more over's if more spin is really necessary. At least he attacks, albeit with a few too many loose deliveries. .... And then we wouldn't need Watson or Marsh.
Danno74
Guest
I remember the Kohli and Saha dismissals but not the others but I will take your word for it. I like Lyon and think he was unlucky not to have played in the World Cup as he made his name as a white ball bowler for South Australia and gets more zip off the wicket than Doherty. I think he needs to relax more as he does when he bowls in the fist innings of tests as he feels the pressure to bowl Oz to victories on the last day as he did against India at the SCG and against South Africa at Adelaide when Du Plessis made a great hundred.
MJ
Guest
I agree Ronan. Further to the UAE experience: For the third test of the Kiwi v Pakistan series, the Kiwi's picked 3 spinners and won the game to draw the series. And as we've seen from the World Cup, it's not that their squad lacks good pace bowlers.
Bearfax
Guest
Fair enough guys. Didnt say I was right...hard to believe I know...but Lyon does have his virtues and we havent seen Ahmed in English or West Indies conditions yet. We'll just have to see how things pan out....and then I'll tell you I told you so (Bearfax you are so naughty and annoying). By the way, where's me old mate Don Freo. I'm sure he'd love to get in on this and give the old bear some curry.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
With Nudge on my side It's 2 vs 1...them's the stats Bearfax ;) Good debate though. Lyon's spot certainly isn't set in stone but he has earned the right to pole position for Ashes IMO.
Nudge
Guest
Just while your on the stats thing Ronan, a bit of useles information,but as good as Johnson was last ashes, the top 4 individual scores for England that summer, there wickets were taken by Lyon
Nudge
Guest
Great post Bearfax, but I'm still sticking with Ronan
Bearfax
Guest
Worthy retort Ronan and your points are quite valid in my opinion. But then I never said that Lyon wasnt worthy of a test spot and that he hadnt overall done a bad job. Mind you, you are selecting one tour there and ignoring those tours when he wasnt so effective. But that's not what my issue here is about. We cant know how good other spin bowlers are at test level until we try them. They used SOK in one match alongside Lyon, and statistically his outcomes were superior, even though both spinners struggled badly on that tour. Agar was far too young to use as a spin bowler and I actually remarked about that at the time of his first game despite his heroic last wicket stand. And Doherty has never been a red ball wicket taker of serious consideration. So in effect Lyon, as I remarked has had somewhat of a carte blanch. Now you well know from earlier comments I've made over the past 2 years that I consider Lyon a good spin bowler, but not a top line one, statistically speaking. The issue about his efforts supporting fast bowlers is somewhat conjectural and not quantifiable, though i acknowledge he probably is a good foil. He does his job and can be very effective sometimes but I refer back to his averages. My issue is not about him not being good enough for test cricket, its about a few others showing potential to be better. Obviously SOK is on the outer (why I cant fathom) but next in line statistically is Ahmed who averages 29.56 at first class level, suggesting he gets wickets on average for 9 less runs per head than Lyon. And there are already comments that he also is a great foil for fast bowlers. That surely cant be ignored. This is not about Lyon not being up to the game, its about Ahmed potentially seeming likely to offer more. Its like the argument as to whether Shaun Marsh should be there ahead of Brurns, Lynn or Maxwell, all having superior stats at first class level. But because Marsh has played a few good innings, despite only a 35.5 run average, he gets picked. Surely you pickthe most consistent, not the one who holds the job. Your turn.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
The problem Jason is that on dry, slow pitches (if that is what England serve up) Johnson and co are far less likely to intimidate any English batsmen with their pace and aggression. Against South Africa last year, Johnson absolutely terrified the Proteas batsman on a bouncy wicket in the first Test. But in the second Test, on a dry slow wicket like I'd expect England to prepare, he was nullified and SA won. We saw the same thing in the Tests in the UAE against Pakistan recently - Johnson and Starc were bowling 150kmh but there was no pace and bounce in the pitches so the Pak batsmen were rarely troubled.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Bearfax to add to this debate I today read some quotes from Graeme Smith about Lyon which he made in the wake of Australia's 2-1 win in the Tests in South Africa. Smith: "I think Nathan Lyon has been the key factor in Australian Test cricket of late. I think he's added a lot of solidness around the bowling attack and I think his role has been very important. Lyon allows Clarke to use his quicks in an aggressive way. If your spinner's struggling and your quicks have to keep coming back again and again eventually they are going to break.It took Australian cricket a long time to replace Shane Warne. Not with a world beater but with a role player. That's why Lyon has really added a lot of value. He allows the game to stand still so you can make an impact instead of having to go back too quickly to your fast bowlers because the spinners going at 5 an over." That is high praise from Smith and meshes with what I personally think of Lyon: He's not a match winner but he plays his role well and helps the attack function smoothly. For years Australia searched for another Warne, another wizard, and they churned through bowler after bowler looking for a spinner who could rip through sides. In the process the team's attack was constantly lacking balance because the spinner wasn't pulling their weight. Lyon is the first spinner since Warne and MacGill who has actually helped the pacemen succeed. He builds pressure at one end and often the quick operating at the other end benefits from that. Consider this very significant statistic: Lyon was bowling at the opposite end 36 times when an English wicket fell during the last Ashes. That was triple the number of Peter Siddle – who 12 times was operating when another Aussie bowler made a breakthrough – and far exceeded the returns of stars Ryan Harris (19 times) and Mitchell Johnson (23).
Jason
Guest
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