The performance of your premier batsmen is crucial. All of the top six have an important job, but with the demise of the Australians in Nottingham the alarm bells would be resounding about the lack of backbone the Australians have shown, in particular the fragile Australian middle order.
The top three David Warner, Chris Rogers and Steve Smith have had their moments, not least where they all performed well at Lord’s, but aside from Lord’s they too have struggled to an extent, with respective averages of 32.60 (Rogers), 29.60 (Warner) and Smith (17.40).
Not spectacular reading, but nowhere near the catastrophe that is the middle order.
Positions 4 to 6 are the engine room, it is where Test matches are often saved and won and without a performing middle order there is little or no chance of winning Test matches.
In a combined 20 innings in this series the Australian middle order has produced a paltry 272 runs at a combined average of 14.31. There have been no scores over 50 and a highest score of 38.
What makes this statistic even worse is that positions 8-10 have collectively scored more runs at 300 with a better combined average of 17.65. Terrible.
If we compare that with the last Ashes in England, at the same time in the series the middle order had amassed a reasonable 697 runs for a combined average of 34.85, and by the end of the series 923 runs at an overall average of 32.96.
The series was still lost but not as dysfunctional as the current middle order.
Comparing this to how the English middle order fared in Australia in 2013-14 puts it in further perspective. A total of 782 runs at a combined average of 26.96, not great but still better than 14.31.
What this tells us that the selectors have clearly got it wrong. Clarke is under pressure and on the demise could be playing his last Test at the Oval. Adam Voges a horses for courses selection has probably already played his last Test.
There is no settled number 6. Add to that we know Rogers is in his last series.
Come November in Brisbane there are only two of the current top six that can be confirmed as playing in Warner and Smith.
A difficult situation for the Australian selectors and clearly time to wield the sectorial axe. With tongue in my English cheek one could even suggest bringing back Watto, who could feel somewhat aggrieved given he at least averaged over 30 in his last 10 Tests.
But everyone knows he is not the answer but neither is the current combination and gone are the days of Clarke in his pomp and Hussey’s cool head and hands.
Without a middle order with some backbone, there could be some dark days ahead.
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