The Ashes is over. England regained it. Australia Michael Clarke bid goodbye to cricket, winning the fifth and final Test at The Oval. But, he finished on the wrong side of the series result. When he took off from for London from West Indies his players were poured with joy and happiness as they were producing outstanding performance after winning the World Cup at home, although, they were Tested by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo and fast bowler Jerome Taylor.
Suddenly the joy vanished as English soil put their batting technique in question. The Ashes history had to see the seventh lowest total as Australia were all out for 60 at Trent Bridge They lost the first Test at Cardiff but bounce back to win the Lord’s Test. But, young, rebuilding England found good composure and went on to clinch the series humiliating Australia in successive Test at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge. Australia managed to reduce the margin of series loss with 3-2. But, their 60 all out at Trent Bridge exposed their vulnerability to seam ball. Australia is familiar with a fast bowling, but spinner and seam bowlers always enjoy bowling against Aussie batsmen as they are traditionally weak against them.
Australia’s defeat at the hand of England is an example of an ongoing trend- celebrate the victory at home and lose the series away.
In 1988, leg spinner Narendra Hirwani claimed 16 wickets on an underprepared wicket in Chennai as India levelled series against visiting West Indies. At the post-match press conference, West Indian Vivian Richard threatened India to come in West Indies and they will destroy India. “Come home we will show you,” angry Vivian Richards said. In this new millennium that has become the motto of every Test playing nation, and the threat and consolation of Test cricket.
Meanwhile, India registered their fist Test win in 399 days after losing the test series in lost 1-0 in New Zealand, England 3-1, and in Australia 2-0 shows how much that saying holds in modern cricket.
Performance in away and neutral Test since January 2010:
|
Team |
Match |
Win |
Lost |
Draw |
Win % |
Win+Draw % |
Loss % |
|
South Africa |
23 |
10 |
2 |
11 |
43.48 |
91.30 |
8.70 |
|
England |
30 |
9 |
14 |
7 |
30.00 |
55.33 |
46.66 |
|
Sri Lanka |
23 |
5 |
11 |
7 |
21.73 |
52.17 |
47.82 |
|
West Indies |
21 |
3 |
10 |
8 |
14.29 |
52.38 |
47.62 |
|
Pakistan* |
30 |
11 |
15 |
4 |
36.67 |
50.00 |
50.00 |
|
Australia |
35 |
13 |
17 |
5 |
37.14 |
51.42 |
48.57 |
|
India |
35 |
7 |
18 |
10 |
20.00 |
48.57 |
51.42 |
|
New Zealand |
26 |
7 |
14 |
5 |
26.92 |
48.15 |
53.85 |
|
Bangladesh |
10 |
1 |
8 |
1 |
10.00 |
20.00 |
80.00 |
|
Zimbabwe |
6 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
100.00 |
In 2011, India was humiliated by England and Australia in their home 4-0 respectively. The only series win came for India in West Indies. India then invited England and Australia at home, but squandered the series advantage, and finally lost it to England 2-1, but took sweet revenge of defeat in Australia winning the series 4-0.
Among the notable series, England, in recent time, have done quite well in away Test as they won the series in India in 2012, in 2010/201 Ashes in Australia Andrew Strauss led England won the five-match Ashes 3-1.
In these days of T20 cricket when technique and the patience of batsmen are being questioned often. South Africa, who flourished in all formats, has recorded most Test wins away from the comfort of home among all 10 Test playing nations in foreign shore. They have done well in competitive Test playing nations such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan, England and Australia.
While the young Indians have generated a new problem for facing spin Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara dependent Sri Lanka did not win Test series except in Bangladesh in last 10 years.
Australia has to fix their problem with seam and spinning bowling before the Bangladesh series. Pakistan, whose hope of playing at home is just a dream which won’t materialise anytime soon, are playing fewer matches, but won the series in Sri Lanka, and performed well at adopted home UAE. They got the reward of winning the Sri Lanka series as they now stand at no. 4 of the newly published ICC ranking. Meanwhile, New Zealand, who got a new bunch of talented players will be tested on the foreign soil.
With India levelling the series in Sri Lanka, and final Test yet to happen, and the Ashes winning England side yet to be tested, it seems that Australia after winning The Oval Test is murmuring the phrase, “come home we will show you.”
Performance in away and neutral Test since January 2005:
|
Team |
Match |
Win |
Lost |
Draw |
Win % |
Win+Draw % |
Loss % |
|
South Africa |
46 |
20 |
9 |
17 |
43.48 |
80.43 |
19.57 |
|
Australia |
63 |
26 |
24 |
13 |
41.26 |
61.90 |
38.09 |
|
India |
62 |
16 |
25 |
21 |
25.80 |
59.67 |
40.32 |
|
Sri Lanka |
44 |
11 |
20 |
13 |
25.00 |
54.54 |
45.45 |
|
England |
59 |
14 |
27 |
18 |
23.72 |
54.23 |
45.76 |
|
Pakistan |
55 |
16 |
28 |
11 |
29.09 |
49.09 |
50.91 |
|
New Zealand |
42 |
10 |
24 |
8 |
23.81 |
42.86 |
57.14 |
|
West Indies |
46 |
4 |
28 |
14 |
8.70 |
39.13 |
60.87 |
|
Bangladesh |
23 |
3 |
19 |
1 |
13.04 |
17.39 |
82.61 |
|
Zimbabwe |
10 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
90.00 |