Australia will be vulnerable in Wednesday’s first Test against the West Indies due to a lack of preparation and their consistent woes on dry pitches.
The tourists enter this series seriously underdone. In the past 15 months, they have had a famine of Test cricket, remarkably playing only six matches, compared to 18 Tests in the 15-month period prior to that.
Their last Test was five months ago in Sydney against India.
Few of their players were involved in the second half of the Sheffield Shield season due to the ODI triangular tournament and the following World Cup. This means most of them have not had any red ball cricket since early January.
The increasingly condensed nature of international tours, particularly those against low-profile teams like the Windies, resulted in Australia having just one three-day warm-up game.
Only five players – Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Fawad Ahmed, Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges – actually got anything out of that fixture. The rest of Australia’s Test XI will have to swiftly find their feet on a pitch in Roseau, which is the epitome of those which have troubled Australia over and again.
The Australians have enjoyed a brilliant 18 months in Tests. They destroyed England, upset the Proteas in South Africa and dismantled India Down Under. Those successes however, all came on pitches of a familiar nature.
When confronted with conditions more alien, they stumbled. Actually, they floundered.
Amid the cluster of rousing victories, they were once again exposed on slow, dry pitches. On a parched Port Elizabeth deck last February they were walloped by 231 runs. The barren surfaces of the UAE prompted further horrid failures. The enigmatic Pakistanis humiliated the tourists.
Both defeats were astoundingly comprehensive. The core of their problem on dry, lifeless pitches has been their inability to adapt to the conditions with the bat.
The two-Test series in the UAE should have been a boring, high-scoring 0-0 draw, such was the lack of assistance for the bowlers.
The Pakistanis fully exploited the batsman-friendly conditions, running up massive totals and scoring freely even when the Australians were bowling well.
When it came time for the tourists to bat, the decks suddenly appeared to be difficult and unpredictable. They were not. They were featherbeds. But Australia’s batsmen consistently flounder in such conditions.
Against the quicks they too often continue to operate as though they are on hard home pitches, looking to unfurl extravagant shots on the up, rather than playing the ball late like the Pakistanis did so effectively last year.
Against the spinners, they too regularly stay glued to the crease, a recipe for misfortune on dry surfaces.
Again, they should take their lead from the Pakistanis, who never allowed the Australian spinners to settle on a length by either using their feet, employing the sweep shot or exploiting the full depth of the crease.
These issues, combined with Australia’s poor preparation, offer the Windies a golden opportunity to cause an upset in this Test.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul had to go
Yes, it was handled poorly. To hear that the West Indian legend was informed of his dumping in anything other than a face-to-face conversation was shocking.
As one of the most courageous and hard-working players in West Indian cricket history, he deserved far, far better.
But the West Indies selectors made the correct decision in omitting him. As much as it would have been nice to see him battle the Australians one last time, the signs were impossible to ignore that at almost 41 years of age he no longer was able to handle Test cricket.
Not only were his statistical returns awful but he was also struggling to deal with the short ball.
Last month, England’s seamers roughed him up at their gentle 135km/h pace. How would he have coped with 145-150km/h bouncers from Mitchell Johnson, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc? Chanderpaul’s time is up.
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
I'd argue Watto bowled very well in the latter three tests in the India series. He bowled 27.4, 22 and 28 overs respectively, went at an average of 2.7 an over, and got 5 wickets in 6 innings. He saved us in Brisbane when the rest of our attack was melting on and off the pitch and was unlucky not to take any wickets in the second innings, with two really excellent spells where the batsmen looked like nicking it every ball. He bowled some pretty serious reverse swing in Melbourne, and got 3 crucial breakthroughs in Sydney. He offers a complete change of pace and style to the frontliners and has been effective as a change bowler in a variety of conditions for a long time. What more do you want from a fifth bowler?
Jameswm
Guest
Who says Nevill will drop catches Haddin would swallow?
Jameswm
Guest
Well I'm certainly a well informed cricket commentator. Just ask me.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Allanthus I can't think of an obvious way for teams to adapt quicker to changes in formats after a long layoff. I think that the teams prepared to play series with minimal preparation like this, and to allow players to rush into Test series straight from IPL and the like, will just pay the price for it, sometimes at least. It may open up more opportunities for lesser sides to score upsets over the top teams. Australia would not dream of entering an Ashes series with the kind of wretched preparation they've had heading into these two Tests. Against lesser sides they obviously think/hope they can get away with it.
E-Meter
Guest
You've probably articulated it a bit better than me. I was questioning these Mickey Mouse warm up games in an earlier post. When does any Test team get a proper preparation for the country they are visiting these days? It rarely happens. Plus over the recent summer in Aus we heard a lot about how benign our pitches were, so perhaps there is some recent shred of experience to carry over into West Indies.
Geoff Parkes
Expert
Hi Ronan I think your central premise about being underprepared is sound, and certainly supported by NZ's experience in England. As you state, the reason for warm up games is a no-brainer, but in today's environment however they are merely pesky interferences to players earning $ in 20/20 leagues and the like. So even though players aren't robots and it is difficult to adapt to different match and pitch conditions, the reality is that if they choose to play all forms of the game and want to do it well, then they really do have to find a way to adapt more quickly. I know you've been quite conservative about Australia's prospects in this series and for the Ashes, and despite agreeing with your concern about lack of preparation, I just find it hard to rank either of the WI or England on the same level.
Rob JM
Guest
With the inclusion of Voges and Starc they have at least picked the strongest batting side available. Gives me some hope we wont fall over.
Quitwhinging
Guest
How many catches will Neville have to drop for people to beg for Haddin to come out of retirement or Wade to get a recall? Warner averaged over 50 in the UAE with a 100 and a 50. Smith will be his usual self, piling of runs. Clarke will be close to his best, can't ask for a much weaker bowling attack to come back to. Johnson averaged less than 30 in the UAE with a decent economy rate. I still haven't got an answer on how the West Indies will be better than Australia. For all of Australia's weakness against spin and reverse swing the West Indies are for more fragile against it Lyon has done well in the Caribbean before.
Quitwhinging
Guest
JGK, I've seen a few clueless comments on here. They just have a slightly more advanced knowledge of the previous domestic season.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
For a guy who developed on the hardest deck in the world in Perth, S. Marsh is very able on slow pitches. I think the promotion of Smith to three is a great move. Hopefully he can continue his prolific form in that position.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Certainly as far as cricket goes I think most Roarers are very well informed. Any site has a few people just messing around or trying to troll but by and large The Roar attracts genuine, knowledgeable commenters.
CW
Guest
Bit harsh on Smith. Has just been handed the coveted #3 spot. He has made it clear he has always wanted to bat there. Though he will not be a prolific as in our summer. I believe Smith will handle the extra pressure and have a good tour.
JGK
Roar Guru
The readers are informed. It's the authors that sometimes struggle.
JGK
Roar Guru
Is that called the Viscount?
matth
Guest
Well, at least one
matth
Guest
This is weird but they use a different version of the Duke. Cheaper I believe.
matth
Guest
The West Indies have a decent bowling attack when fit – Taylor and Roach can both be very good, supported by Holder the all rounder and two spinners, plus Samuels. I don’t expect Australia to be racking up 500 at 4 runs per over on these pitches against that attack. I know it is hard for pitches to change their character, but with Taylor and Roach vs. Johnson, Starc and Hazlewood it would have been great to see a fast pitch. Oh Well. It is the batting that is the problem, but if Darren Bravo, Braithwaite and Samuels can have consistent series (and over two tests surely that can’t be too hard), there is the possibility of Australia having some real trouble. Don’t forget our away record, excluding South Africa, is nothing to write home about these days. For Australia I think: – Warner will not like the slow pitches – Marsh however does and I expect him to do well – Smith will come back to earth – Clarke will be good – Voges will be ok but nothing special, or will cary the drinks if they pick Ahmed – Watson/Marsh will get a few starts and not kick on, but will bowl at 2 runs per over. Watson especially does well on these pitches – Haddin’s decline will continue. Nevill’s time has surely come – Johnson will be average on these pitches – Hazlewood I think may do very well – Lyon will not do enough for his critics, but will be solid – Starc will take a bunch of lower order wickets – Ahmed will carry the drinks if they pick Voges, otherwise will be expensie but take maybe 6 wickets for the match.
Quitwhinging
Guest
And this site if full of informed readers isn't it
CW
Guest
It seems there is no getting rid of Watson. Has a charmed life this bloke. His last 12 months in red ball cricket would do a first grade cricketer proud. Is not longer the potent bowler as he once was. Five wickets at 40 something in the four India tests. Mind blowing figures.He does reverse swing the ball. So that is one feather in his cap. If he is to be relied on as our sole all rounder(use the word loosely) then Clarke has to give him more than four/five overs an innings. Can see another break down coming up.
CW
Guest
Remember. Roarers. Mark Waugh is the resident selector on duty in the Caribbean. It was he who defied his peers and recalled Watto after he was dropped. He is also one of the "inner circle". So expect him to play somewhere in the top six. Please not as opener. Congrats to Steve Smith for being offered and accepting cheerfully, the coveted # 3 role. It is a crucial position which Smithy, with his composure under intense pressure, should make his own .