Ashes 2013-14: Australia’s decision to fill side with right-handers will help them tackle Graeme Swann

Graeme Swann was the leading wicket-taker in the 2013 Ashes series in England with 26 wickets © Getty Images

By Gaurav Joshi

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Australian selectors have been wise by selecting a batting line up that is predominantly right-handed for the first Ashes 2013-14 Test starting in Brisbane on Thursday. Apart from the two openers, David Warner and Chris Rogers, Mitchell Johnson is the only other left-handed batsmen. The rest of the batting is right-handed giving Australia an advantage when it comes to tackling England off-spinner Graeme Swann.
 
Swann was the leading wicket-taker in the 2013 Ashes in England with 26 wickets, but the ace off-spinner’s career record suggests he is more effective against left-handers. In his Test career so far, Swann has 118 wickets at 26 against left-handed batsmen compared to his 130 wickets at 33 against right-handed batsmen.
 
During the Ashes in England, as the number of left-handers in the Australian team decreased, Swann became less effective. In the first Test, Australia had six lefties, while in the second Test it was five. In those Test matches, Swann picked up 13 wickets at 22.07. While in the next three Tests, Australia respectively had four, three and three. In those matches Swann picked up 13 at 36.
 
One person that needs to devise a plan against the off-spinner is Rogers, one of the main reason Rogers was unable to convert starts in England is because he fell to the spinner six times out of 10 innings. Swann also managed to dismiss Usman Khawaja four times and Phil Hughes thrice, it was one of the reasons Australia were not able to capitalise on the starts given by the top order. Rogers aside, most of the other batsmen Swann managed to dismiss are not part of the eleven in Brisbane giving Australia a significant advantage in the middle-order.
 
Come Brisbane, the middle-order will compromise of two of Australia’s most prime batsmen against spin in Michael Clarke and Steven Smith. The inclusion of George Bailey also adds to the strength with the Tasmanian showing promise against Indian spinners in the recent One-Day International (ODI) series. Bailey was severe on Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, the man that led the rout in the 4-0 whitewash in the Test series earlier this year.
 
Swann has been successful against left-handed batsmen because he spins the ball away enticing them to play against the spin which is not Australia’s stronghold. In contrast, the right-handers have been able to work him on the onside with the spin. With Alastair Cook’s defensive field settings, the likes of Smith and Clarke are able to nudge easy singles to rotate the strike and get on top of England’s most effective bowler.
 
The selectors may or may not have done it deliberately, but it will certainly benefit Australia to tackle England’s second most effective bowler. Stacking the side with right-handers might be the simplest but the most effective solution to tackle Swann.

(Gaurav Joshi is an Indian-born Australian who played with Michael Clarke in his junior days. He coaches and reports for a Sydney radio station. Over the years he has freelanced for Australia Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and is a regular on ABC cricket show Cow Corner. He is the author of the book “Teen Thunder Down Under” – The inside story of India’s 2012 U19 World Cup Triumph)