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There has been extensive analysis of why the Australians have again failed in England.
There has been conjecture regarding selections, the fragility of Michael Clarke’s mind and lower back, the woefulness of the middle order, cloudy mornings suited to English bowlers and concern over team harmony.
On face value, a glance at the series statistics reveals that Australia has three of the top batsman in Chris Rogers, Steve Smith and Dave Warner, only bettered by Joe Root. The statistics also show that four of the top five wickets taker are Australian, with England’s Stuart Broad leading the way with 21 wickets as the only Englishman.
Not too bad one would have thought, but these stats are a false economy
The overall averages of the Australian top three are good: Rogers 62.42, Warner 41.62 and Smith 45.62, but these are inflated figures. While Rogers and Warner have done their bit, if we take away the Lord’s Test their averages both drop to 35.
If we put Smith in the mix, his average drops alarmingly from 45 to 15.
What is even more alarming is that the runs Rogers, Warner and Smith collectively scored at Lord’s equates to an amazing 31.5 per cent of all Australian runs scored through the series, and their combined total makes up for 58 per cent of all Aussie runs.
In short, three batsman scored 60 per cent of the runs and over 30 per cent came in one Test.
Between the three of them they have faced 51 per cent of the balls bowled and out of that 27 per cent in the one Test. In short, take away Lord’s and it makes for depressing reading if you’re an Australian.
Of course, the fragility of the middle order and Clarke’s demise has been discussed but up until the end of the fourth Test only Rogers and Warner can hold their heads up high.
Some will argue Smith won the Lord’s Test, but his series prior to Lord’s and thereafter has been poor and one big score doesn’t win you man of the series.
The other standout factor relates to the form of Mitchell Johnson. Like Smith, he has really only performed at Lord’s. Although he produced those two pearlers to Johnny Bairstow and Ben Stokes at Edgbaston, take out his six wickets at Lord’s at the excellent average of 13.33, the rest of his series makes for poor reading with five wickets at 71.6.
His overall record against England in England is only fair, with 31 wickets at an average of 35 and only one five-wicket haul.
While the stats may be in Australia’s favour, there is one stat in which they are well behind.
Unfortunately for the Aussies, that is the one that matters.
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