Australia’s Test team often is lambasted as ‘home track bullies’, yet England’s record on the road is much worse, with the Ashes tourists ranked a lowly seventh away from home on wins, while Australia are first.
Australia undoubtedly need to improve on the road, yet it would shock many cricket fans to learn they have won easily more away matches than any other nation in recent years.
Counting the last series a team played in every other main Test-playing nation – bar Zimbabwe where some teams haven’t toured in many years – Australia’s tally of ten wins is comfortably the highest.
Australia have won ten of 24 Tests across their last completed series in England, South Africa, India, New Zealand, Pakistan (UAE), Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the West Indies combined.
Meanwhile, England have won just five out of 26 Tests on the road over that same cycle, giving them a worse away record than Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
1. Australia – ten wins from 24 away Tests
2. Pakistan – seven wins from 20 away Tests
3. South Africa – seven wins from 21 away Tests
4. New Zealand – five wins from 20 away Tests
5. Sri Lanka – five wins from 21 away Tests
6. India – five wins from 21 away Tests
7. England – five wins from 26 away Tests
Obviously the number of wins a side registers is not the be all and end all in terms of assessing their performance, but this table does help outline which teams have struggled the most away from home conditions.
The rain which cut play short yesterday on day four of the MCG Test may prevent England from breaking their sequence of eight consecutive Test losses on Australian soil. More than 40 overs were lost to rain yesterday, with play eventually called off as Australia were 2-103, trailing by 61 runs.
(Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)
The weather forecast for Melbourne is much better today, and 98 overs of play are scheduled.
While England’s task has been made much more difficult by the rain, you still feel they’re only two wickets away from cracking the Test open.
A pair of breakthroughs in the morning session would bring to the crease Mitchell Marsh who, regardless of his extraordinary 181 at Perth, is still a batsman with a Test average of 26.
Any hope of an Australian win was but erased in the final session on day three as the home side let Stuart Broad slog his way to a 100-run stand with Alastair Cook. The best Australia can hope for today is to bat until stumps and regain some of the momentum they gave up on day three.
England again bowled well yesterday, forcing David Warner (40 from 140 balls) and Steve Smith (25 from 67 balls) to graft.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
With a strike rate of 28, this is the slowest innings of Warner’s career – never before has he scored this slowly during an innings in excess of 20 runs.
England have not have managed to limit his output this series, as Warner has still made 339 runs at 68. But they have at least forced him to bide his time, with Warner scoring at a strike rate of 52, which is positively glacial by his standards.
This is also reflective of a newly-defensive approach by not just Warner but the whole Australian batting line-up. Warner’s strike rate of 64 this year is the lowest of his career, and pales in comparison to his mark of 84 across the previous three years.
As I wrote recently, Australia have scored slower this year than they have since 1999.
That caution with the blade will be required today as Australia look to stonewall England.
Sam
Guest
India played really well in the Wanderers last time they toured SA in 2013-14, they almost won that first test with a very young team but yes I agree with you that it will be SA who will be favorite going into the series but I feel this time India are more stronger and experienced than last time and they will surely want to retain that no.1 ranking...may the best team win!
DavSA
Guest
Sorry Sam but no possibility of an Indian series win. 2 of the tests are at altitude . Both Centurion and The Wanderers are fortress SA . Cannot see it.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Cheers DavSA, thanks for the promotion mate!
DavSA
Guest
India have played so little outside the sub continent these last few seasons that I just wonder how they are going to cope technically with the pacy SA pitches and quick bowlers. Logic tells me they are going to find they going tough.
Brian
Guest
Yes Roman figures are biased giving weight to tests won overseas amongst losing series. Dead wins are great but Australia has only beaten New Zealand and West Indies home and away.
Sam
Guest
India and South Africa are two of the best balanced sides in world cricket at the moment, India will be on the road from now on as they will tour SA, Eng, NZ and Aus in next couple of years... It will be tough without a doubt but this Indian team can be successful anywhere I guess.....I can't wait for the SA-Ind test series to start on Jan 5.
Sam
Guest
Steele, I think the upcoming India's tour of South Africa starting Jan 5 will be a cracker, you may have to change your perception about India's no.1 ranking after the tour cause I think India has pretty good chance to beat SA in SA this time. They have a solid and well balanced team under Kohli....gonna be a proper series No.1 vs No.2. Bring it on!
DavSA
Guest
As I post this Ronan Aus have batted out the game ...pretty predictably I thought . For me and taking nothing away from Steve Smith and his boys England have been by their own standards disappointing. However may I take this opportunity to thank you for a year of great cricketing articles and enjoyment from my side.I look forward to much chat when you guys visit us here in South Africa. P.S to all Roar cricketers I would highly recommend visiting Ronans website to view his photographic images.
Jon R
Guest
I didnt pick a random date. I did as you said you’d done - “Counting the last series a team played in every other main Test-playing nation - barring Zimbabwe”. For South Africa that is when they played in the West Indies the last time, in 2010, as far as I can see. Then it only makes sense to compare over that period when at least SA or Aus have played everyone else at least once. As you can see each country played 13 away series in that period. So how am I wrong? But even then, I still don’t see how looking at wins but not losses and ignoring series makes any sense. You say no of wins isn’t the be all and end all. Buts it’s not even getting to first base. The only reason Australia is ahead on total wins is because we play more 4 and 5 match series. Obviously wins are most important, but a drawn series or match away from home can be quite an achievement. South Africa’s success reflects a good record on all continents- winning a series in England and series draws vs India (once) and Pakistan (twice), whereas Australia lost all their away series against those countries in this period. And SA have managed to embarrass us twice at home in the 20-teens, while we managed one series win and a draw in SA (admittedly our most impressive overseas result). I’m not sure you’re right England being at the bottom either. I haven’t tallied up all their results, but during this decade they have won in South Africa, Australia and India, arguably a better outcome than Australia have managed, having been flogged twice each in England and India. This is offset a bit by Drawn series in the Windies and NZ, but still a better outcome against the best teams. I’m inclined to offer an article to The Roar - “How Australia has an abysmal away record”. But will the censors let it through? I wouldn’t want to embarrass one of the Experts!
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"Looking back to 2010, when both South Africa and Australia began their latest cycle of away series against all opposition bar Zimbabwe." That's wrong Jon. Australia have played every team, bar Zimbabwe, away from home in the past four years. My table was based on counting every teams last series away from home against every other nation, bar Zimbabwe, rather than just picking 2010 as a random date from which to start.
Steve
Guest
Yep, you are a savage
Steele
Guest
Laughable when you look at the Indians ranking, bring on the test championship. South Africa are the best home and away team, but I’d have the Aussies second. We may lose overseas but generally are competitive unlike others. We must have bouncier pitches to combat the Indians next summer though. Cannot wait for the tour of Sth Africa, this summers been a fizzer.
Geoff
Guest
These articles are so needy. It's embarrassing man, seriously
Jon R
Guest
Ronan, I would suggest your numbers completely misrepresent Australia’s record away from home and its rank in the hierarchy, particularly compared to South Africa. Obviously you can’t just go on wins, but also losses, and more importantly series wins, draws and losses. Looking back to 2010, when both South Africa and Australia began their latest cycle of away series against all opposition bar Zimbabwe, their records are as follows. Australia Matches - Won 15 Lost 22 Series - Won 4, Lost 7, Drawn 2 South Africa Matches Won 13, Lost 9. Series Won 7, Lost 2, Drawn 4 In other words, it’s not even close. South Africa are miles ahead. Apart from 7 series wins to 4, only 2 series losses out of 13 away from home is outstanding, whereas Australia have lost more than half of their away series. Perhaps your numbers cover a shorter period, but I don’t think it changes much.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Yet despite there ‘ relative ‘ success abroad we are still only ranked 5th unless we have moved up to 4th now ? Australia will do very well to hold on for a draw, Smith will need to bat for most of the day. A couple of wickets including Smith and it will be all over.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
What that table of away results highlights more than anything is just how weak all teams are away from home now. Australia's away record is poor and yet somehow they still have more wins than everyone else. That's sad.
paul
Guest
This article really does put the ICC team rankings into perspective and the home and away wins should be included when the ranking points are changed. I assumed Sth Africa and India were far and away the best Test playing nations but now, maybe not so much. I think it's terrific Australia is now batting time but still making healthy scores - okay, the first innings in Melbourne wasn't flash, but in recent years, this side would have been out inside a day with a batting collapse likely. We don't have the same calibre of batsman (with the exception of Smith and maybe Warner) as Australian sides have had since 1999, so going back to basics and defending well, should lead to runs. I hope the guys can keep going throughout the day. I also wouldn't think about declaring; keep their bowlers in the field for as long as possible with the Sydney Test up soon.
Nudge
Guest
-- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Nudge
Guest
Yep, England still a massive chance to win today if their isn't any rain. If we bat for say 75 overs (which will not be easy) and go at 2.5 an over, that makes our lead around 130-140 and gives England around 20 overs to get those runs with 10 wickets to do it. Hang on, maybe the whitewash is still on -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Savage
Roar Rookie
England have lost 9 matches at "home" since May 2014,So they are not even "home track bullies".