Cricket Australia is trying its hardest to get fans through the gate and TV viewers to switch onto the five Tests this summer but it’s going to be arguably the toughest sell they’ve ever faced.
Since the advent of two nations touring to play Tests in 1978-79, this summer’s program of three matches against Pakistan followed by a second two-game contest with the West Indies in as many years shapes as the biggest mismatch.
There have been 23 summers with dual touring teams since that Ashes series when Australia were weakened by World Series Cricket departures and copped a 5-1 hammering before squaring a two-match series with Pakistan with a young left-hander from NSW called Allan Border stepping up for the home side.
Oddly enough, in the first 10 times when two countries toured, Australia lost at least one Test. They have been stronger over the past 25 years but there seemed to be fewer lopsided series when there weren’t as many teams playing Test cricket.
In a bad omen for Pakistan leading into Thursday’s opening match at Perth, they have been on the receiving end on each of the three times when Australia have won every match on their home schedule against dual opponents.
The first instance was in 1999-2000 when Steve Waugh’s team swept Pakistan and India in three-match contests, five years later when Ricky Ponting led the Aussies to 2-0 and 3-0 shellackings of New Zealand and Pakistan and four years ago when Pakistan lost their two Tests and the Black Caps did likewise in their three outings.
There have been seven other occasions when Australia went through the summer undefeated in Tests with rain or the opposition’s defiance forcing at least one draw.
In 1987-88 when they beat New Zealand 1-0 in a three-match series, drew with England in the Bicentenary Test and conquered Sri Lanka in a one-off fixture.
Ten years later in 1997-98 when the Kiwis went down 2-0 over three matches and then the Proteas forced two draws but lost 1-0.
The summer of 2001-02 when NZ played out three draws before the Proteas were pumped 3-0.
2005-06: Australia knocked off the ICC World XI in the one-off Test experiment, downed the Windies 3-0 but then had to settle for a 2-0 victory over South Africa after a drawn first encounter at the WACA when Brad Hodge scored a double ton.
2009-10: The West Indies managed a draw but lost their other two matches before Australia swept Pakistan 3-0.
2015-16: Both the Black Caps and Windies registered a draw but lost their other two Tests respectively.
And last season, 2022-23, when the Windies didn’t put up much of an effort in two Tests before South Africa avoided a three-match sweep when rain reared its ugly head again in Sydney.
There have also been a few mismatch summers when just one team has arrived Down Under – the Windies were belted 5-0 in 2000-01, while England suffered the same fate in 2006-07 and 2013-14 while narrowly avoiding a whitewash with 4-0 floggings in 2017-18 and 2021-22.
If you believe in miracles or think Australia are no certainties to win at Optus Stadium this week, the Pakistan side is listed as a $7 outsider in PlayUp’s First Test market and the draw is considered nearly as unlikely at $6.75. Australia are almost prohibitive favourites at $1.25.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
Yep Daryl gave some “ hairy” decisions.
Andrew
Roar Guru
I know economics etc probably play a part but I've been bewildered at how little we play NZ in test matches when they're right next door! I know we're going over for 2 in March, but it's such a shame considering how great their team has been over past decade.
Kalva
Roar Rookie
Except Aussie crowds seem to enjoy the thrashings!
Kalva
Roar Rookie
I think the problem is that hardly any teams are competitive in Australia. I think since the SA series in 2016, if you exclude the 2 Indian series, Aus have won something like 18 out of 20 Tests with 2 draws against 6 different teams.
RobPeters
Roar Rookie
There also used to be the occasional WI player who turned out for shield sides. Holding and Patterson both played for Tasmania, Garner and Sobers both played for South Australia, and Viv and Wes Hall turned out for Queensland. But, County cricket was the nursery for WI players. You could practically trace the decline of WI cricket to fewer players honing their skills in England. These days it is rare to see any WI player on the county circuit. The last WI players to play county cricket who averaged 50 and make more than test 10,000 runs? Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
PeteB
Roar Rookie
It’s almost as bad and as one sided as when England tour.
Gharner
Roar Rookie
94/95
Gharner
Roar Rookie
Pakistan might have lost the test if Langer had been given out in the 2nd innings, but they might not have been defending anywhere near as much if Langer wasn't incorrectly given out in the 1st innings.
Gilberto
Roar Rookie
Apparently never! There's only 2 competetive series left, India at home and England away. Then there's India away which Australia will lose and everything else that they will win. Quite sad really
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Agreed it wouldn't be a super cheap exercise, but if they were based at the Cricket Academy, it might not be overly expensive either
Woof
Roar Rookie
Agree about NZ, I suspect politics rather than players is the obstacle
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Wasn't there talk of a Pakistan - India Test being played at the MCG? Reckon that's a goer and they might just get a few thousand to that match. Or play there and one at Adelaide. Like everyone, I'd love to see Pakistan come out and smash India.
Rusty Brooks
Roar Rookie
Yep, I remember that. It was the 7th anniversary of the Trevor Chappell underarm incident.
The Bush
Roar Guru
As others have pointed out, there aren't enough Shield spots to just open up the comp, I'm happy for say one per team, but no more than that and only in certain positions. What we should be doing, is getting "A" sides out here more. When the BBL is on, surely there are still plenty of guys around that could put up a good fight against a touring A side. Or, you just pull an XI for a game or two and then they return to the BBL and you pull some others. It'd also be a great way for guys who want to make the test team to put their hand up during the test season.
Gilberto
Roar Rookie
Probably money, a lot more expensive to run a team. On the other hand $0 cost to say to a young West Indies player if you want to go to South Australia and are good enough to be picked go ahead. Having said that adding say NZ North and NZ South would surely assist NZ cricket player development and again cost almost nothing
Kizman
Roar Rookie
This is the issue with the big3. Most of the Aussie public dont care about the games unless its India or England we're playing.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Why not have an additional team in the Shield made up of promising players from around the world, a few good young Aussies and a couple of experienced Test players who have given up international cricket, but are still keen to play first class games?
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
I know before that innings, he told his father to stop his mum from hopping the fence if he got hit! I'd love to have seen that.
JamesH
Roar Guru
It could be worse, it could be Sri Lanka and West Indies. At least Pakistan have a handful of world class players. It's just a pity Naseem Shah is out.
Mitchell Hall
Roar Rookie
This is going to be such a yawn/ non event summer. Non event tests. Bad promotion and a glorified grade cricket Big Bash again minus stars. Who gets paid to organise this?