When South Africa steamrolled Australia in the fourth Test yesterday, it became the first series since 2009-10 that an Australia batsman has failed to make a century.
In that summer however, against the West Indies, Australia won the three-Test series 2-nil, as the team scored in excess of 430 three times.
Prior to that, the last time Australia failed to have a century-maker in a four-Test series was coincidentally in South Africa, in 1969-70, when the tourists were hammered 4-nil.
In this current series, Proteas batsmen scored five centuries and compiled nine of the ten highest scores across the four Tests.
With Steve Smith and David Warner sidelined for 12 months, the batting stocks look bare.
Over the past five years, Australian batsmen have scored 71 Test centuries with Smith (22) and Warner (19) accounting for 41. Filling the void is going to be a difficult task, especially given the parlous performance in the Republic.
While they were there, Smith (142 runs at 23.7) and Warner (217 runs at 36.2) both had lean series. Cam Bancroft led the aggregate tally, with 223 at 37.2. He will be unavailable for selection until the New Year.
Tim Paine (215 runs at 43.0) was the only batsman to average north of 40. The fact that he was made captain is no doubt two-fold.
The selectors certainly respect his leadership abilities, but he is also perhaps the only guaranteed selection in the current top-seven in the medium term.
Traditionally, wicketkeepers have been chosen as vice-captains with the likes of Rod Marsh, Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist all filling that role admirably in recent decades.
Given the ‘keeper is charged with traditionally being the team’s ‘voice’ with respect to setting the tone and keeping things upbeat, as well as constantly the man looked upon to set the angles in the field, adding the full onus of captaincy on top of that will be a heavy burden.
Hopefully, it will not dilute his performances with the gloves and willow.
Wicketkeeper Tim Paine (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
After outstanding Ashes series, Marsh brothers Shaun (147 at 18.4) and Mitch (176 at 22.0) regressed to the ‘bad old days’.
For Shaun, it was sadly a return to a familiar pattern, one where consistency escaped him. While it was hoped his Ashes showing would herald a new era of consistent performance, this series has allayed that hope.
Once again, he was regularly dismissed by balls well wide of off-stump that he parried at with minimal footwork, only to nick to the ‘keeper and slips cordon.
Through 32 Tests he averages 37.6. His inconsistency is best highlighted by his six centuries and nine ducks.
Turning 35 in July, it is difficult seeing him all of a sudden becoming a reliable rock in the middle order.
Brother Mitch is also at the crossroads once again. He has played 28 Tests for an average of 27.8 and, given the frailties of those above him, that sort of output is a concern.
Through the four Tests, where Australia chased considerable leather, he sent down just 42 overs – 5.7 per cent of the total the side bowled – for four wickets at 42.2.
AAP Image/David Mariuz
Usman Khawaja again failed to flatter, finishing with 165 runs at 20.6, despite innings of 75 and 53.
It was yet another case of floundering away from home, where he now averages 25.2 against an average of 59.4 on Aussie soil. Having said that, his home Ashes series over the summer was saved by his 171 in the final Test at the SCG, providing more than half his five-Test output.
Peter Handscomb sat on the sidelines as the reserve batsman for the first three Tests before the tour imploded on the back of the ball-tampering scandal at Cape Town.
He was out first ball to Vernon Philander in the first innings, with a late attempt to leave producing an inside edge back onto the stumps. He dragged Philander on again in the second innings while again trying to leave a ball wide of off-stump, falling for 24.
It was a tough call on the replacement openers – Matt Renshaw and Joe Burns – arriving in Johannesburg less than 48 hours before the final Test.
Burns made four and looked sound for his 42 in the second innings. Renshaw made scores of eight and five, leaving him with a return of 150 runs at 13.7 from his past 11 Test innings.
Renshaw led the runs aggregate in the recently completed Sheffield Shield season with 804 runs at 44.6. That is the lowest total to top the aggregate since 1982-83.
And therein lies the extended issue for Australia’s selectors.
Long gone are the days where the likes of Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Stuart Law, Martin Love et al kept churning out big runs season after season.
Yesterday in TV commentary, Shane Warne floated Marcus Stoinis as a potential saviour in the middle order. He is a classic example of picking a player for Test level in hope rather than expectation.
This Shield season he played six matches, batted 11 times and averaged 17.3. At the age of 28, he has a first-class average of 32.8.
And yet he is seen as one of the answers in the middle order.
The issue facing the selection panel is the dearth of quality batsmen outside the current squad. Few are putting legitimate pressure on those who are underperforming in the current Test team.
And that all adds up to an extremely worrying time ahead.
KenoathCarnt
Guest
Silk has constantly made runs in harder Hobart conditions. I couldn't care less who makes runs on flat tracks i would give him the nod anyday.
Rob
Guest
I think the averages can be a guide to selection. Of course where and who those runs are scored against is something to consider. Doran has opened for Tassy in tougher conditions to that of White. He is young and will benefit from the exposure to the best players.
Bucks
Guest
Renshaw Burns Khawaja / Handscomb (for Pakistan tour in October) Maxwell Cartwright M Marsh Paine (c,wk) Cummins Starc Lyon Hazlewood / Agar (for Pakistan tour in October) 12th- Turner
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
White also scores a lot of his runs batting at 6/7. If you really want to push for higher honours you need to bat higher up the order than that.
Ray87
Guest
MMarsh should only play home tests. He can only bat on roads & we only really need a 4th seam bowling option in home tests.
Rob
Guest
Yes he gets out to dumb shots but that pretty much sums up a shot that gets anyone out. I saw plenty of dumb shots played during the South African tour. On the positive side Maxwell has the ability to at least to dominate a bowling attack like few others can. Philander absolutely toyed with blokes bowling 125-130kmh because they couldn't hurt him. Maxwell is a bit of a premeditator with a fantastic eye. Maxwell usually make the line and length dot it up bowler very nervous because he's aggressive and hit the ball instead of poking and feeling for the ball.
KenoathCarnt
Guest
Renshaw Burns Khawaja Doran Hughes Maxwell Paine Cummins Starc Lyon Hazelwood/Rogers
Rob
Guest
You have to look at the Shield numbers. The top 8 averages this season are Khawaja 86, Bancroft 82, Burns 55, C. White 52, Maxwell 50, Ferguson 48, Head 46, Doran 44, Smith 44. Shaun and Mitchell Marsh averaged 38 ? How on earth are they first picked? They are ordinary in the field also. This would be the Team I'd pick for the next 12 months. 1) Renshaw 79 balls per innings 2) Doran 79 balls per innings 3) Khawaja 75 balls per innings 4) Maxwell 5) Head 6) Burns 7) Paine 8) Cummins 9) Starc 10) Lyon 11) Hazelwood I think Ferguson and White are past the age of picking now. Squad members J. Richardson, Tremain, Agar, M. Marsh only because he is still young enough and has been given so much exposure at Test level.
Swampy my thoughts are more in line with the domestic player development rather than the current test players. Considering the domestic players development might be stunted due to the lack of tougher wickets to improve their skills.
Freddy from Bondi
Guest
Purely because Khawaja can't play spin, but in the current climate, needs to be in the team somewhere. It's painful watching him try and start an innings against a spinner. By opening, he's protected agains this. I also worry about Burns' technique against the new ball. He's got a tendancy to plant his front foot down the wicket and play away from his body. Not great for a test level opener. But I feel Burns is more capable against spin, plus has experinece in the middle order...so for mine he's a better option. Neither are great, but desparate times....
Bakkies
Guest
There is a reason why he hasn't had an extended go. He is another feast or famine batsman who gets out playing dumb shots.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Cool. So how is changing the store from tape to sandpaper part of a cover up to hide the truth and make it somehow better? In fact, when players are caught doing something and trying to answer questions like that they are liable to try and almost "plead guilty to a lesser charge". Try to sort of tell the truth, but maybe not the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The result of a more full investigation like this is much more likely the full truth than what came out of those initial press conferences.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
The umpires checked the ball and decided it didn't even need to be changed as they hadn't succeeded in making one side of the ball unusually rough. So nothing for the fast bowlers to see!
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I wonder if he works hard to get the runs, then when he's made a good score or two feels like he's "in form", relaxes a bit, and doesn't bat with the same level of concentration, rather playing shots that should be left alone until he's really "in" and seeing the ball well.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Doran is still a bit raw. He's finally had a decent Shield season, but still only has a single first class hundred to his name. I'd really like to see him converting a lot more of those fifties to hundreds before considering him for higher honors. Head, again, is so inconsistent. He can score the odd good hundred, but gets way too many low scores. The tough thing is someone like Khawaja, who just always has the look of someone a class above everyone else when playing domestic cricket. He seems clearly better than all these other guys mentioned. But he's struggling to much to really convert it at the next level. He had a couple of good home test series that have pushed his test average up, but this season, even at home he really struggled. He's no youngster anymore. Time is running out for him to work out what's going wrong at test level.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Considering Burns opens in first class cricket and has for a number of years, and Khawaja, while he's filled in as opener, has never played there regularly, I don't really see why you'd put Burns in at 5 and push up Shaun Marsh and Khawaja.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I don't know that we can blame T20. Every country is playing T20 and most of the best test batsmen are also good T20 batsmen.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I think it may be hard for Shaun Marsh to keep his spot. The guys in their mid-30's in the team are the guys you expect to be solid and consistent. The rocks in the batting order. But Marsh has shown to be anything but. He's too old to be a development prospect. So his position becomes a lot more tenuous. Mitch will likely get more time as much because they don't have enough options and because they wouldn't want to be replacing the whole batting lineup. There's a chance that the fact they'll be missing Warner, Bancroft and Smith means they won't want to make even more changes on top of those three, and so some of these guys will get more chances. But to me, Shaun Marsh would be the first to go. Khawaja needs to work out whats going on in test cricket though. He goes to state cricket and just looks a class above everyone else, like a top test cricketer often would, but at the moment, he's really struggling to take that form into the test arena. Even at home. He played one good innings in the Ashes, in the final test when Australia was already 3-0 up. Prior to that he had a bit of a shocker. And that's in Australia where he's got an awesome test record.
Ben
Roar Rookie
He has never had an extended go like the marsh brothers and khawaja. Hopefully with smith out and a new coach we will see the best out of him.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
There were a few juicy pitched around, but the MCG and WACA were both pretty flat for batting all season. There was barely a result in a 4-5 day game at the MCG all summer. The thing is, you look at the first few matches when the test players were all available, the Australian top 4 were the class batsmen in the Shield during that period. NSW won those first 3 matches and not another one for the season with Smith and Warner both scoring some runs, Khawaja averaged something like 80, Bancroft was the form opener in the Shield at that point. The number 5-6 sports were a bit less sure with nobody greatly putting their hands up. Mitch Marsh was selected on the back of some pretty good scores (mind you, largely scored on the rather good batting pitch at the WACA). Renshaw and Burns come in now. They were form players in the back-end of the season. But now they need to convert that to test runs.