Ashes 2015: Spin and swing are haunting Australian cricket

Darren Lehmann and Michael Clarke

“They can deal with a great speedster with grit eventually on any fast track, but movement and slowness of the turf can change their scorecard into a telephone directory”.

Australian batting line-up has some big names, mixture of talent and experience. Their resurgence after Ashes defeat in 2013 was quite scary. David Warner had a blast in that summer. Steve Smith evolved in the same Ashes. Actually their batting order enjoyed every bit of success against experienced but ordinary England attack.

Bowling wise, worst nightmare for England, Mitchell Johnson had all in his pocket. Australia didn’t stop there and soon after the Ashes, they defeated top of the table South Africa on African soil. The confident Australia claimed the top spot again in Test cricket, but UAE tracks (against Pakistan) had enough to open the scars of Border-Gavaskar trophy 2013 (against India).

Winless against spinners

It was quite unpredictable that the Michael Clarke led Australian side would easily surrender to the ‘Ajmal less’ Pakistan team. Australia’s tour of Pakistan (UAE, 2014) saw an unusual and ordinary batting display by the visitors. They were bundled out under 300 thrice in four innings.

The spin trio of Mohammad Hafeez, Yasir Shah, and Zulfiqar Babar picked eighty percent of wickets in that series. All of the three are traditional spinners without much variation in their bowling. Their methods of picking wickets, straight and attacking the stumps, were simple enough to bowl regularly in those areas.

Australians were clueless about the movement of balls and many times got out in simple manner. The pitches were also teasing the pace attack of visitors. Ashes 2013 sensation Johnson and Starc had nothing much to threat Pakistani Batsmen. On the same tracks, PAK batsmen were among the runs. Australian spinners couldn’t exploit those conditions to save their team from embarrassing defeats.

“Our Batsmen weren’t able to play the straight balls” - Darren Lehmann (Australian coach) at UAE 2014.

This opens the page of Australia’s visit to India (early 2013) when their white wash was modeled by off-spinner R Ashwin and left-arm orthodox Ravindra Jadeja. Although Aussies were in ‘re-construction mode’, their preparations against spin were nowhere.

They found themselves stuck in the crease as LBW was their favorite way to get out. Here again they assembled 300+ score only twice in eight innings. More than seventy-five percent scalps were in the bags of spinners.Ravindra Jadeja especially with his quick ones, got most out of the surfaces after Ashwin. Spinners didn’t show any mercy and India tested a 4-0 success easily.

Consecutive 6 defeats in 6 games, in a short period of two years at ‘Asian Soil’, are enough to demonstrate Aussie’s struggle against Spin.

Only batsmen can’t be blamed for this embarrassing streak. Their bowlers had enough venom but spilling that wasn’t too easy. Sometimes I feel that Australian pacers are not sufficient for sub-continent tracks. Their past triumphs, in these parts of the World, were written by Glenn McGrath, Michael Kasprowicz, Jason Gillespie and ‘Warne’ like bowlers.

After the spin variations and line are important factors here. Brett Lee never got much in his bag but was lucky to get company from the above set. This is the problem with current Australian bowling. They have pace, but they need to add more ‘Josh Hazlewood’ in their squad. In addition to that, they need to prepare more spinners for sub-continents.The formula is simple - ‘If batting is not easy, bring profound attack’.

Swing: Carrying carnage

Australians were having a great run in Test cricket for Last one year and it was an evidence that they were ready for Ashes 2015. They had great outing against India and West Indies, but currently they are hanging at 1-2 against England. Suddenly a solid line-up is losing its plans against movement offered by the tracks.

Recently, third Ashes Test at Edgbaston got wrapped up only in two and half days. The English had the last laugh and ‘King of Swing’ Jimmy Anderson was totally unplayable. This story takes us to the fact that - “Ashes is dominated by Aussies, but last time, when Australia came out as the winner in England was 15 years ago in 2001”.

Their last visit to England in 2013 was ended at 0-3. They were not only dusted by Swing of ‘Anderson’ but also spinner Graeme Swann ripped through their batting line-up. Actually swinging in, swinging out all was too hot to handle for them. Both spin and swing were featured in leading the wicket-takers list of Ashes 2013. Along with Anderson and Swann and Broad, Steven Finn also joined the mob to ensure that ‘The URN’ remains in England.

Australia piled 300+ only twice in their 10 outings back in Ashes 2013. This swings the ongoing Ashes pendulum towards the home side as Finn is again back in squad. Anderson has already disturbed them enough to scare. However, his absence in 4th Test can work as ‘morale up lifter’ for Clarke and co. But this doesn’t change the fact - Swing is taking control over powerful Australian batting.

Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara are most recent victims of swing. Former was trapped to the 4th stump line while Pujara was always in dilemma whether to play or not. Both of these methods are scaring Australians as well.

Smith is recent one to get nicks towards slips. MS Dhoni was unable to play full length, so does Clarke. Adam Voges got the manners of ‘Pujara dismissal’. The common part in this comparison is English tracks with English bowlers.

“In England, you have to deal not only with swing but also fair amount of spin. This is hurting Lehmann and Clarke”.

Patience is the key in England. Leaving the ball is a great skill, Just like Rahul Dravid did. The batsman has to get rid of sending balls in ‘Slip and gully’ directions. Attack can be an option as well but restricted to the situation. You have to get out there, keep the bowler busy and do not allow him to bowl on a particular line. This can be useful in this format of the game.

Go, get some from the past

Flip the history, you will get to know the times when defeating Australia was quite an achievement. They have conquered all ‘Asian nations’ on same spinning tracks. England was nowhere near ‘The URN’ in 1990s. Even Sri Lanka have been searching a victory against them since 1999. Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn are few modern day ‘Legends’ who dealt with spin and swing brilliantly.

The Australian side had everything against ‘S&S’ till 2001. But 2001 India-Aus series, one of my favorites, opened the strings of this team’s vulnerability against spin. They haven’t been able to win Ashes in England since 2001. This raises some real questions. Clarke, who possesses some great numbers in England and Asia, has to step up with responsibility.

His debut knock of 151 against India was so eye catching that everyone had some praising words for the skipper. Australia needs something like that from youngsters. Maybe Smith is the answer, but No. 1 has to show resistance against swinging kookaburras. His 215 at Lords is enough to assess his ability. Australian middle order needs both of them to pile runs so that they can play their own game. The modern era must take inspiration from ’Golden era’.

In the context of this Ashes, bowlers are doing good for visitors. If they are able to sort out their batting crisis, they can steer the tournament towards an exciting finish. As a fan, that’s all I want. Australia are scheduled to play Bangladesh later in the year and by then they can work on the skills against spin. Certainly they have to conquer this ‘S&S’ factor if they want that ‘Golden Era’ back on the pages.