On the eve of the first Test I thought I would take a deeper look at how West Indies and Australia have fared over the last decade. On paper, this is a matchup between David and Goliath.
Australia has more Test wins than any of other top 8 teams over the last decade. They have won 58 of the 107 Test matches played. By contrast, no top 8 team has won fewer matches than the West Indies. They have won just 8 of the 74 Tests played.
Over the last decade, West Indies bowlers as a team have averaged 38.06 - the highest of the top 8 teams. Australia have averaged 31.58 - the second best. The difference between the two sides grows even wider when taking into consideration home and away performances. At home, Australia's bowlers have averaged 30.34. In overseas Tests, West Indies bowlers have averaged 42.77.
No West Indies bowler, with a minimum of 10 wickets taken, has an average under 35 in overseas Tests over this period; Kemar Roach (36.64) is the only bowler with an average under 40.
From a batting standpoint, West Indies two leading run scorers in overseas Tests over the last decade - Chanderpaul and Gayle - are no longer in the side. Darren Bravo (46.03) and Marlon Samuels (38.37) have both fared well overseas, though the only other batsman with an average over 35 during this period is Brendan Nash, who was last seen playing in the Kent 2nd XI and hasn't played international cricket since 2011.
As a collective team, West Indies have averaged 29.96 with the bat over the last decade - worst of all the top 8 teams. Their average dips to 27.81 in overseas Test. Australia's average (38.73) is the best and even better when at home (43.65).
The number that stands out the most, however, is 1 - the number of overseas Test matches West Indies have won against a top 8 side. They have lost 25 and drawn 13. Their one lone win came 8 years ago in
South Africa
.
Conversely, at home, Australia are exceptionally hard to beat. Against the top 8 teams, Australia have won 37 matches, lost 8 and drawn 9. They have lost just 3 of their last 16 home series - against South Africa in 2008/09 and 2012/13, and England in 2010/11.
As for head-to-head matchups, since the turn of the century, West Indies have yet to beat Australia in Australia, losing 10 of the 11 Test matches played. The lone draw came in the second Test in
Adelaide
2009.
West Indies last overseas series victory against a top 8 team came against New Zealand in 1994/95. You have to go all the way back to 1992/93 for West Indies last overseas victory against Australia.
The one thing that West Indies can perhaps cling onto is the fact that this in a new look Australian side. Clarke, Johnson, Haddin, Watson, Rogers and Harris have all retired and Mitchell Starc is missing through injury. In saying that, their replacements (Burns, Khawaja, Marsh, Siddle and Nevill), all showed flashes of brilliance during their recent series with New Zealand.
