I reckon pitches have been just as flat or even flatter the last two years, so conditions aren't the cause. That's stunning batting ineptitude the world over.
Poms skittled for 85 in Test v. Ireland.
From cricviz (Aug 18, 2018):
Balls Per Dismissal, Test Cricket
2008 63.70
2009 67.90
2010 65.90
2011 62.20
2012 65.50
2013 61.70
2014 66.10
2015 59.40
2016 62.10
2017 60.10
2018 49.80
Defensive Shots Per Dismissal, Test Cricket
2008 69.20
2009 80.60
2010 81.50
2011 86.00
2012 81.20
2013 79.10
2014 81.20
2015 69.70
2016 64.80
2017 65.60
2018 44.70
Balls Per Dismissal, Test Cricket
2008 63.70
2009 67.90
2010 65.90
2011 62.20
2012 65.50
2013 61.70
2014 66.10
2015 59.40
2016 62.10
2017 60.10
2018 49.80
Defensive Shots Per Dismissal, Test Cricket
2008 69.20
2009 80.60
2010 81.50
2011 86.00
2012 81.20
2013 79.10
2014 81.20
2015 69.70
2016 64.80
2017 65.60
2018 44.70
You can of course ask: Is Test batting getting harder?
On the England collapse to 85 all out against Ireland, CricViz tells us:
Swing for Pace Bowlers
Ireland, July 24, 2019: 1.3 degrees
Average at Lord's: 1.1 degrees.
Seam for Pace Bowlers
Ireland, July 24, 2019: 0.7 degrees
Average at Lord's: 0.6 degrees.
http://cricviz.com/2019/07/cricviz-anal ... -collapse/
That's barely more than average!!
Yet, Joe Root had a huge whinge after the Test:
"I don't like saying this but the wicket was substandard for a Test match. I thought it wasn't… not even close to a fair contest between bat and ball throughout the whole game.
"Australia will be thinking it's doing a bit in England. It's hard for anyone to read too much into this in very extreme conditions."
Yeah, right. How dare the curator allow 0.7 degrees of seam! Substandard! Not even close to fair! Very extreme!
This generation (or two) of flat-track bullies dines out on dead pitches and if there's any assistance for the bowlers at all, they just collapse and whinge that it's unfair.
On the England collapse to 85 all out against Ireland, CricViz tells us:
Swing for Pace Bowlers
Ireland, July 24, 2019: 1.3 degrees
Average at Lord's: 1.1 degrees.
Seam for Pace Bowlers
Ireland, July 24, 2019: 0.7 degrees
Average at Lord's: 0.6 degrees.
http://cricviz.com/2019/07/cricviz-anal ... -collapse/
That's barely more than average!!
Yet, Joe Root had a huge whinge after the Test:
"I don't like saying this but the wicket was substandard for a Test match. I thought it wasn't… not even close to a fair contest between bat and ball throughout the whole game.
"Australia will be thinking it's doing a bit in England. It's hard for anyone to read too much into this in very extreme conditions."
Yeah, right. How dare the curator allow 0.7 degrees of seam! Substandard! Not even close to fair! Very extreme!
This generation (or two) of flat-track bullies dines out on dead pitches and if there's any assistance for the bowlers at all, they just collapse and whinge that it's unfair.
E. Bayliss's take on the question (“Are Test bowlers getting better?") is to compare the same bowlers' performances in ODIs and Tests:
Caption --
Comparing All bowlers that have taken:
i) 15+ Wickets in Tests up to 31/12/17
ii) 15+ Wickets in ODIs up to 31/12/17
iii) 15+ Wickets in Tests from 1/1/18 to 28/9/19
iv) 15+ Wickets in ODIs from 1/1/18 to 28/9/19
His take is that the changes in their ODI averages are mixed, but their Test averages are consistently better (mostly much better, I'd say!), which to him is most plausibly explained by batsmen focusing on ODIs to the detriment of Test batting. (Certainly, in the lead-up to the 2019 ODI WC, I wouldn't think bowlers would have neglected ODIs to focus on Tests -- another possible explanation -- and the graph shows no sign that bowlers have simply become better overall.)
Caption --
Comparing All bowlers that have taken:
i) 15+ Wickets in Tests up to 31/12/17
ii) 15+ Wickets in ODIs up to 31/12/17
iii) 15+ Wickets in Tests from 1/1/18 to 28/9/19
iv) 15+ Wickets in ODIs from 1/1/18 to 28/9/19
His take is that the changes in their ODI averages are mixed, but their Test averages are consistently better (mostly much better, I'd say!), which to him is most plausibly explained by batsmen focusing on ODIs to the detriment of Test batting. (Certainly, in the lead-up to the 2019 ODI WC, I wouldn't think bowlers would have neglected ODIs to focus on Tests -- another possible explanation -- and the graph shows no sign that bowlers have simply become better overall.)
For comparison (N. Leamon, CricViz):
September 24, 2015
"On the first morning of the Trent Bridge Test match, Australia batted first and at the first drinks break were 38 for 7, their top seven all back in the pavilion. England started batting 50 minutes later and an hour into their innings were 30 for 0. The Ashes were, barring a freak turnaround, already on their way back to England.
...
... the average deviation in the air when the Australians bowled was 2.1 degrees, slightly more than the 1.9 degrees when England bowled. Both teams swung roughly 60% of the balls they bowled by more than 1.5 degrees...
... 31% of the balls in the first hour deviated by more than one degree off the pitch, whereas the figure when England batted was 18%. The average seam movement faced was 0.7 degrees for Australia and 0.5 degrees for England.
However, this was part of a pattern in the series. England’s seamers got more lateral movement off the wicket and were more accurate throughout; the Australian pacemen consistently bowled a little quicker on average and got more movement in the air.
Conditions had got a little easier by the time England batted, but not drastically so."
http://cricviz.com/2015/09/4th-ashes-test-analysis/
September 24, 2015
"On the first morning of the Trent Bridge Test match, Australia batted first and at the first drinks break were 38 for 7, their top seven all back in the pavilion. England started batting 50 minutes later and an hour into their innings were 30 for 0. The Ashes were, barring a freak turnaround, already on their way back to England.
...
... the average deviation in the air when the Australians bowled was 2.1 degrees, slightly more than the 1.9 degrees when England bowled. Both teams swung roughly 60% of the balls they bowled by more than 1.5 degrees...
... 31% of the balls in the first hour deviated by more than one degree off the pitch, whereas the figure when England batted was 18%. The average seam movement faced was 0.7 degrees for Australia and 0.5 degrees for England.
However, this was part of a pattern in the series. England’s seamers got more lateral movement off the wicket and were more accurate throughout; the Australian pacemen consistently bowled a little quicker on average and got more movement in the air.
Conditions had got a little easier by the time England batted, but not drastically so."
http://cricviz.com/2015/09/4th-ashes-test-analysis/
The scorecard, Nottingham, Aug 6-8 2015:
Oz 60 & 253, England 9/391d.
Rogers 0 (3)
Warner 0 (2)
Smith 6 (3)
Marsh 0 (4)
Clarke 10 (15)
Vogues 1 (4)
Nevill 2 (15)
...
FOW: 1-4 (Chris Rogers, 0.3 ov), 2-10 (Steven Smith, 0.6 ov), 3-10 (David Warner, 1.2 ov), 4-15 (Shaun Marsh, 2.4 ov), 5-21 (Adam Voges, 4.1 ov), 6-29 (Michael Clarke, 6.1 ov), 7-33 (Peter Nevill, 9.2 ov)...
The first-innings 60 all out came in 18.3 overs and 94 minutes.
In England's reply, Root scored 130 (176).
Oz 60 & 253, England 9/391d.
Rogers 0 (3)
Warner 0 (2)
Smith 6 (3)
Marsh 0 (4)
Clarke 10 (15)
Vogues 1 (4)
Nevill 2 (15)
...
FOW: 1-4 (Chris Rogers, 0.3 ov), 2-10 (Steven Smith, 0.6 ov), 3-10 (David Warner, 1.2 ov), 4-15 (Shaun Marsh, 2.4 ov), 5-21 (Adam Voges, 4.1 ov), 6-29 (Michael Clarke, 6.1 ov), 7-33 (Peter Nevill, 9.2 ov)...
The first-innings 60 all out came in 18.3 overs and 94 minutes.
In England's reply, Root scored 130 (176).
For comparison...
The scorecard, Cape Town, Nov 9-11 2011:
Oz 284 & 47, South Africa 96 & 2/236.
Watson 4 (3)
Hughes 9 (22)
Ponting 0 (12)
Clarke 2 (6)
Hussey 0 (1)
Haddin 0 (3)
Johnson 3 (12)
Harris 3 (7)
Siddle 12* (16)
Marsh 0 (2)
...
FOW: 1-4 (Shane Watson, 0.3 ov), 2-11 (Ricky Ponting, 5.3 ov), 3-13 (Phillip Hughes, 6.4 ov), 4-13 (Michael Hussey, 6.5 ov), 5-15 (Michael Clarke, 7.3 ov), 6-18 (Brad Haddin, 9.1 ov), 7-21 (Ryan Harris, 10.4 ov), 8-21 (Mitchell Johnson, 11.2 ov), 9-21 (Shaun Marsh, 11.4 ov)...
The second-innnings 47 all out came in 18 overs and 95 minutes.
In the middle two innings, S. Africa and Oz combined to lose 18/68.
The scorecard, Cape Town, Nov 9-11 2011:
Oz 284 & 47, South Africa 96 & 2/236.
Watson 4 (3)
Hughes 9 (22)
Ponting 0 (12)
Clarke 2 (6)
Hussey 0 (1)
Haddin 0 (3)
Johnson 3 (12)
Harris 3 (7)
Siddle 12* (16)
Marsh 0 (2)
...
FOW: 1-4 (Shane Watson, 0.3 ov), 2-11 (Ricky Ponting, 5.3 ov), 3-13 (Phillip Hughes, 6.4 ov), 4-13 (Michael Hussey, 6.5 ov), 5-15 (Michael Clarke, 7.3 ov), 6-18 (Brad Haddin, 9.1 ov), 7-21 (Ryan Harris, 10.4 ov), 8-21 (Mitchell Johnson, 11.2 ov), 9-21 (Shaun Marsh, 11.4 ov)...
The second-innnings 47 all out came in 18 overs and 95 minutes.
In the middle two innings, S. Africa and Oz combined to lose 18/68.
India vs. Australia, 1st Test, Adelaide, 2nd innings:
"India have recorded their lowest ever total in Test cricket as their startling second innings ended on 36 when Mohammed Shami was forced to retire hurt following a crunching blow on the arm from Pat Cummins. Their previous lowest was 42 against England at Lord's in 1974."
(cricinfo)
FOW: 1/8, 2/15, 3/15, 4/15, 5/15, 6/19, 7/26, 8/26, 9/31, 9/36* (retired hurt).
cricinfo is sympathetic to India. S. Monga:
"Just a quick no-hindsight comment on India's batting. There will be a lot of criticism and even insult thrown their way but this is one of those perfect storms of excellent bowling, pitch doing just enough, all the nicks carrying, all mistakes resulting in edges. This is what tends to magnify technical flaws and there are replays played over and over again. It is one of those things that happened against a ruthless excellent attack. People will question Virat Kohli's shot but there wasn't anything wrong with it. On a flat pitch it was a bad shot; on this you had to go after any width you got. Someone had to score runs.
Just a stat that will tell you what a perfect storm it was: India were not in control of 32 balls they played. Usually you need around 10 such balls to get a wicket in Test cricket. Here they got nine with 32. That is how perfectly it went for Australia."
"India have recorded their lowest ever total in Test cricket as their startling second innings ended on 36 when Mohammed Shami was forced to retire hurt following a crunching blow on the arm from Pat Cummins. Their previous lowest was 42 against England at Lord's in 1974."
(cricinfo)
FOW: 1/8, 2/15, 3/15, 4/15, 5/15, 6/19, 7/26, 8/26, 9/31, 9/36* (retired hurt).
cricinfo is sympathetic to India. S. Monga:
"Just a quick no-hindsight comment on India's batting. There will be a lot of criticism and even insult thrown their way but this is one of those perfect storms of excellent bowling, pitch doing just enough, all the nicks carrying, all mistakes resulting in edges. This is what tends to magnify technical flaws and there are replays played over and over again. It is one of those things that happened against a ruthless excellent attack. People will question Virat Kohli's shot but there wasn't anything wrong with it. On a flat pitch it was a bad shot; on this you had to go after any width you got. Someone had to score runs.
Just a stat that will tell you what a perfect storm it was: India were not in control of 32 balls they played. Usually you need around 10 such balls to get a wicket in Test cricket. Here they got nine with 32. That is how perfectly it went for Australia."
Clearly, an update is called for...
Imagine being bowled out in a session for 91 (32.3), straight after the oppo has scored 400, including 84 from their #9.
Well done, Oz.
Their batting in India has somehow managed to go backwards, when it was already atrocious to begin with.
...................
Not a Test, but Special Mention too to the Thunder for their 15 all out in the BBL.
Imagine being bowled out in a session for 91 (32.3), straight after the oppo has scored 400, including 84 from their #9.
Well done, Oz.
Their batting in India has somehow managed to go backwards, when it was already atrocious to begin with....................
Not a Test, but Special Mention too to the Thunder for their 15 all out in the BBL.
Wow... Oz outdid themselves.
2nd innings of the 2nd Test v. India even worse than the 1st Test.
Oz lost 8/28 to crash to all out 113 (31.1).
So here's Oz's recent 2nd-innings record in SL and India:
vs SL
1st Test, Galle: Oz 0/10 (0.4) -- lucky no real 2nd innings needed.
2nd Test, Galle: Oz all out 151 (41), after being 1/51 (18 ).
vs India
1st Test, Nagpur: Oz all out 91 (32.3).
2nd Test, Delhi: Oz all out 113 (31.1), after being 2/85 (18.5).
2nd innings of the 2nd Test v. India even worse than the 1st Test.
Oz lost 8/28 to crash to all out 113 (31.1).
So here's Oz's recent 2nd-innings record in SL and India:
vs SL
1st Test, Galle: Oz 0/10 (0.4) -- lucky no real 2nd innings needed.
2nd Test, Galle: Oz all out 151 (41), after being 1/51 (18 ).
vs India
1st Test, Nagpur: Oz all out 91 (32.3).
2nd Test, Delhi: Oz all out 113 (31.1), after being 2/85 (18.5).
‘Car crash in slow motion’: Dressing room chaos revealed...
Assistant coach Michael Di Venuto:
“It was a like a car crash in slow motion isn’t it?
“It’s like what has just happened there? You guys saw exactly what we saw. It’s just constant panic and people moving everywhere.”
“Guys under pressure moved away from their plans of what worked, and you pay the consequence in this country.
“Batting is pretty similar analogy, I think - you’ve got to swim between the flags in this country. If you go outside the flags, and your game plan, you are going to get in trouble.
“It was frenetic, it was panic, you saw exactly what we saw on the balcony. It was a procession of players going out and getting out. It is an easy place to get out early here. We are talking about two world-class bowlers in their home conditions - you’ve really got to trust your defence, have good attacking shots but smart ones. We didn’t see too much of that in second innings.
“It was like we got ahead of the game and thought if we get 50 runs real quick … you can’t think like that in this country. We’ve spoken about that, it’s not like it is something new. Pressure and panic does strange things. We saw a lot of people go out and try to sweep their way toward a score.
“If you’re coming over here and you’re not sweeper, and you’re trying to sweep, that’s not gonna work, which I think we have some good examples of that.”
(The Age)
Assistant coach Michael Di Venuto:
“It was a like a car crash in slow motion isn’t it?
“It’s like what has just happened there? You guys saw exactly what we saw. It’s just constant panic and people moving everywhere.”
“Guys under pressure moved away from their plans of what worked, and you pay the consequence in this country.
“Batting is pretty similar analogy, I think - you’ve got to swim between the flags in this country. If you go outside the flags, and your game plan, you are going to get in trouble.
“It was frenetic, it was panic, you saw exactly what we saw on the balcony. It was a procession of players going out and getting out. It is an easy place to get out early here. We are talking about two world-class bowlers in their home conditions - you’ve really got to trust your defence, have good attacking shots but smart ones. We didn’t see too much of that in second innings.
“It was like we got ahead of the game and thought if we get 50 runs real quick … you can’t think like that in this country. We’ve spoken about that, it’s not like it is something new. Pressure and panic does strange things. We saw a lot of people go out and try to sweep their way toward a score.
“If you’re coming over here and you’re not sweeper, and you’re trying to sweep, that’s not gonna work, which I think we have some good examples of that.”
(The Age)
‘I fell for it’: Spin specialist Handscomb relives Delhi Test chaos
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket ... 5cndz.html
'Marking his guard and sizing up Jadeja at the other end, Handscomb can see an in-out field, with an enticing gap for a single to get off strike in the covers. Were he on 72 not out, late on day one, it may have been a straightforward stroke.
This time, not so much. Handscomb’s third ball, enticing a glide into that gap, fizzes as it breaks the surface in the soupy morning air, takes the edge and nestles into the hands of Virat Kohli at slip.
...
“India personally outplayed me in that situation,” he says in Delhi. “They gave me my scoring gap but without the reward, so it was just going to be a single, but tempted me to hit the ball there.
“And I fell for that and tried to manipulate the ball there when, had that been my third ball of the first innings, I would have just tried to defend, because I was still trying to understand the pitch and what was going on.
“For me, it’s just about being stronger and starting again. I probably walked out there thinking ‘I’m still on 72 not out, I can just pick up where I left off’, and you can’t think like that.”'
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket ... 5cndz.html
'Marking his guard and sizing up Jadeja at the other end, Handscomb can see an in-out field, with an enticing gap for a single to get off strike in the covers. Were he on 72 not out, late on day one, it may have been a straightforward stroke.
This time, not so much. Handscomb’s third ball, enticing a glide into that gap, fizzes as it breaks the surface in the soupy morning air, takes the edge and nestles into the hands of Virat Kohli at slip.
...
“India personally outplayed me in that situation,” he says in Delhi. “They gave me my scoring gap but without the reward, so it was just going to be a single, but tempted me to hit the ball there.
“And I fell for that and tried to manipulate the ball there when, had that been my third ball of the first innings, I would have just tried to defend, because I was still trying to understand the pitch and what was going on.
“For me, it’s just about being stronger and starting again. I probably walked out there thinking ‘I’m still on 72 not out, I can just pick up where I left off’, and you can’t think like that.”'
And even in "great" wins, Oz collapse: Oz lost 6/11 in the 1st innings of the 3rd Test.K wrote:Wow... Oz outdid themselves.
2nd innings of the 2nd Test v. India even worse than the 1st Test.
Oz lost 8/28 to crash to all out 113 (31.1).
...
Brettig:
'... the dizzying loss of 6-11 to end the innings and let India back into the game.
It was reverse swing delivered by the powerful Umesh Yadav that had as much say as the spin of Ravichandran Ashwin in Australia’s hectic loss of morning wickets, including a pair of away fading rockets to take out the off stumps of Mitchell Starc and Todd Murphy.'
(The Age)