Regulars | Numbers Game >> Australian misery for overseas fast bowlers There used to be a time when fast bowlers would queue up to travel to Australia, but things have changed considerably over the last few years S Rajesh November 9, 2007 Shaun Pollock: one of many overseas fast bowlers who have struggled in Australia © Getty Images There used to be a time when fast bowlers would queue up to travel to Australia: the wickets had bounce and helped seam movement, and overseas teams had the quality to exploit the conditions. Over the last few years, though, the equation has changed considerably. The wickets have eased up - even Perth no longer offers the trampoline-like bounce it once used to. The Kookaburra ball doesn't swing or seam much, overseas teams haven't always had a competent line-up of fast bowlers, and the Australian top order has developed into such a formidable unit that fast bowlers have had little chance against the likes of Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting and Co. The first day of the Brisbane Test was the latest example of overseas fast bowlers coming a distant second-best, after Mahela Jayawardene put Australia in to bat in what looked like helpful bowling conditions. Chaminda Vaas, Farveez Maharoof and Dilhara Fernando returned combined figures of 1 for 166, and only Muttiah Muralitharan's wizardry allowed Sri Lanka to stay in the contest. The table below shows how fast bowlers have performed in each country since 2000. New Zealand and South Africa are the two where fast bowlers have relished bowling (Bangladesh takes top spot, but that can be partly explained by the fact that their batsmen struggle against pace), but Australia figures way down in the list - only in India do fast bowlers concede more runs per wicket. Fast bowlers in each country in Tests since 2000 Country/ region Tests Wickets Average Strike rate 5WI/ 10WM Bangladesh 23 356 29.29 57.2 14/ 1 New Zealand 29 650 29.85 57.3 29/ 2 South Africa 42 1053 30.34 56.8 37/ 4 West Indies 39 864 31.79 66.1 32/ 4 Zimbabwe 22 434 32.88 64.4 13/ 2 England 56 1347 33.24 59.2 45/ 3 Sri Lanka 43 623 33.33 62.9 15/ 2 Pakistan 30 547 35.71 65.9 13/ 1 Australia 44 859 36.34 66.5 26/ 3 India 32 408 37.25 76.4 4/ 0 It wasn't always so bad for the overseas fast bowlers, though. In the 1970s and 1980s - when West Indies, England, New Zealand and Pakistan all had high-quality pace bowlers - they averaged around 30 per wicket in Australia. Over the last seven years, though, that number has zoomed up to 50. The only foreign fast bowler to take ten wickets in a Test during this period was Andrew Caddick, who took 10 for 215 in a match-winning performance in Sydney (though England had already lost the series by then). Overseas fast bowlers in Australia over the decades Decade Tests Wickets Average Strike rate 5WI/ 10WM 1960s 30 245 36.98 76.9 12/ 0 1970s 44 449 30.92 68.2 16/ 3 1980s 54 585 30.17 65.0 37/ 5 1990s 56 635 34.48 71.3 24/ 3 2000s 45 358 50.14 81.2 11/ 1 Sri Lanka's decision to leave Lasith Malinga out from the team for the Brisbane Test was a baffling one - even more so considering he has been the best overseas fast bowler in Australia in the last seven years. In the two Tests he played in Darwin and Cairns in 2004, Malinga twice took four-wicket hauls, and finished with ten at an average of 26.40. Andre Nel and Merv Dillon are the only others who managed a sub-30 average. Far more illustrious names have terribly disappointing stats: Courtney Walsh had just 11 wickets from five games at 43.72. Shaun Pollock has done even worse, with 16 wickets at 46.68; Chris Cairns' ten have cost him 45.50 each, while Steve Harmison has had two eminently forgettable tours: in ten Tests he has picked up 23 wickets at an exorbitant 50.86 apiece. Overseas fast bowlers in Australia since 2000 (at least 10 wickets) Bowler Tests Wickets Average Strike rate 5WI/ 10WM Lasith Malinga 2 10 26.40 38.1 0/ 0 Andre Nel 3 14 29.54 54.6 0/ 0 Merv Dillon 4 16 29.93 48.2 0/ 0 Shoaib Akhtar 3 11 30.36 42.2 2/ 0 Andrew Flintoff 6 18 32.67 57.0 0/ 0 Andrew Caddick 4 20 34.50 51.3 1/ 1 Ajit Agarkar 5 16 43.18 65.1 1/ 0 Courtney Walsh 5 11 43.72 108.9 0/ 0 The quality of Australia's own fast bowlers has ensured, though, that their numbers have remained more or less constant through the decades. Glenn McGrath has led the attack outstandingly, while Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie have offered wonderful support. The only team that has handled Australian pace with aplomb during this period has been India - they average 39.77 per wicket in five Tests - but crucially, McGrath was missing in four of those matches. Australian fast bowlers at home over the decades Decade Tests Wickets Average Strike rate 5WI/ 10WM 1960s 30 301 30.64 70.8 17/ 3 1970s 44 561 27.11 63.1 23/ 4 1980s 54 651 28.99 61.5 32/ 6 1990s 56 659 25.10 54.5 34/ 5 2000s 45 502 26.76 56.6 15/ 2 And how have Australian fast bowlers performed in each country during this period? The table below shows they've enjoyed conditions in New Zealand, South Africa, and quite surprisingly India, more than the conditions back home. However, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and even England, have been more difficult to conquer. Australian fast bowlers in each country since 2000 Country/ region Tests Wickets Average Strike rate 5WI/ 10WM New Zealand 6 64 24.78 54.0 2/ 0 India 7 76 25.61 58.9 1/ 0 South Africa 6 74 25.87 50.2 3/ 0 Australia 44 502 26.76 56.6 15/ 2 West Indies 4 48 29.79 65.0 1/ 0 Sri Lanka 4 31 32.00 66.1 0/ 0 Bangladesh 2 11 32.09 64.9 0/ 0 England 10 112 33.29 53.1 7/ 0 S Rajesh is stats editor of Cricinfo. © Cricinfo

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Posted by redneck on November 13 2007, 00:25 AM GMT

i think one of the key reasons for aussie pitches not being as bouncy as they used too would be cricket australia moving all test matches to the start of the season. fortunatly indias congested scedual has forced C.A. to move adelaide and perth tests back to their traditional dates!!! which i think will go along way in bring back the bouncier pitches of old, espechally perth!!! and there couldnt be a better opponent to play on a bouncy pitch than india!!!

Posted by BrisVegan on November 12 2007, 03:34 AM GMT

The quality of the Australian home batting is undoubtedly the major deciding factor - I'm willing to be that most visiting spinners have suffered the same fate as the fast bowlers (maybe with the exception of the likes of Vettori). You have to remember that the Aussie batsmen play the 4 day game across all Australian test venues on a regular basis, and are accustomed to each and every pitch in this country. Not only are the Aussie batsmen in tune with the conditions of each pitch, but are able to score quickly as well (which is required when you have to win a match inside 4 days for your state side).

Posted by WhoNWhy on November 10 2007, 10:47 AM GMT

One thing its against Australia in Australia. I have a feeling stats against Australia anywhere in the world would point that fast bowlers have bowled badly against Australia n Australian fast bowlers have performed much better. The recent years have been the best for Australia where they have hardly failed in a series, except once in India mainly cuz of spinners and only once cuz of fast bowlers in England. Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Waugh, Martyn later Clarke n Hussey, and afeter that Gilly ! not only in Australia, bowlers wud struggle anywhere in the world. Add knowledge of home pithches and the fact that the bowlers knew where exactly to pitch n get max movement n bounce cuz we have seen both when Aussies bowl n the wonderful fielding n ability to convert half chances into wickets both by cathes as well as runouts n the dif goes higher still .. Its not just the pitches that have gone sober its the Aussies themselves who have made the difference .

Posted by Noman_Yousuf_Dandore on November 10 2007, 08:50 AM GMT

I think visiting teams have two problems, apart from not having very potent attacks, 1) Their bowlers can't adjust their lengths in time and try to go for too much short stuff (and Aussies love that). This could be proven by the fact that visiting teams mostly perform pretty bad in first couple of tests before putting up a bit better performance, and 2) Visiting teams often don't field well down under, especially in the slips, as their fielders find it difficult to adjust to the pace and bounce of Australian pitches. If data could be compiled of fielding lapses made by visiting teams in Australia, you would know then why don't they do well down under.

Posted by roadrunnerz45 on November 10 2007, 08:23 AM GMT

its pretty much the simple fact that Australia have been so good over the years and thats in all aspects of the game. Whether its bowling, batting, dropped catches, even umpiring decisions. Ever since the 97/98 season, they have lost just 3 matches out of 63. At the moment they are on a streak of 21, and the last team to beat them - India. Lets hope they can do it again because this is boring!

Posted by vishy1979 on November 10 2007, 00:48 AM GMT

Amazing stats. Bowlers have still not figured out how to bowl in Australia. You cannot bowl short or full or goodlength. The ideal length would be between goodlength and short with steep bounce or between good length and full with the ball swinging. The margin of error is too small. I think it requires special preparation, discipline and you can to do well only with experience. It would be interesting to see the stats of great fast bowlers in their first tour of Australia and their subsubsequent tours.

Posted by SachinFan on November 09 2007, 23:54 PM GMT

I think Jayawardane made a blunder in leaving out Malinga in the playing 11. It's hard to understand If a captain like Jayawardana leaves Malinga. He would have been ideal for GABBA. SL will receive a huge defeat in this test.

Posted by amalaviy on November 09 2007, 22:55 PM GMT

Good statistics.. I would want to add some intangibles to this. Everything is a result of Australian dominance and the aura thay they are having. Most of the team when they win the toss have put Australia in due to a fear of losing quick wickets (nothing but aura of the Australian quickies). As a result mostly Australia has batted first and shut out the game after which as someone said mind games start and very few teams have been a match for Aus. in mental toughness

Posted by BoonBoom on November 09 2007, 20:19 PM GMT

interesting stats. Why you did not give figures of australian fast bowlers in Pakistan since 2000?

Posted by abhishekthakur on November 09 2007, 17:21 PM GMT

This is one trend that I had observed as well and has always baffled me. Experts should know better but as a cricket fan, I would be able to point at only the strong Aussie teams. Both their batsmen and bowlers are tough and aggressive. While the opposition batsmen crumble under fire, the Aussie batsmen make merry in their familiar conditions and are less affected even front of quality bowling, if at all. Let's have a look at Australia's 1991-92 series against India. At that time, they were just a good team without being great. Indian bowlers bowled very well. Kapil took 25 wickets in 5 tests and Prabhakar and Srinath took 19 and 11 wickets each. However, it was the batting that let India down, although with a little bit of luck the score could have been 3-2 instead of the lopsided 4-0 Now we can see the picture. The opposition batsmen are still struggling but the Ausssie batting line up has started dominating, especially the fast bowling who they play all the time!

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