Stats: Australia close in on their worst losing streak

How the mighty have fallen!

Australia, who not so long ago dominated world cricket for nearly two decades, are slipping towards their worst period in Test cricket.

The 347-run thrashing received at the hands of arch-rivals England in the second Test at Lord’s was Australia’s sixth Test defeat in a row.

It seems to be going from bad to worse for Michael Clarke and his boys. They suffered a humiliating 4-0 series whitewash in India and have now lost two straight Tests in England.

They are soon approaching their worst ever losing streak in Tests, which is seven straight losses. Interestingly, that too was against England, from 1885 to 1888.

Check the table below by Rajneesh Gupta for details: 

(Most consecutive losses for Australia)

Details:

Melbourne, 21-25 Mar 1885

Aus 163 (FR Spofforth 50) and 125.

Eng 386 (W Barnes 74, A Shrewsbury 105*, W Bates 61).

England won by an innings and 98 runs.

Manchester, 5-7 Jul 1886

Aus 205 (SP Jones 87) and 123 (RG Barlow 7-44).

Eng 223 (WW Read 51) and 107-6.

England won by 4 wickets.

Lord's, 19-21 Jul 1886

 Eng 353 (A Shrewsbury 164, W Barnes 58).

Aus 121 (J Briggs 5-29) and 126 (J Briggs 6-45).

England won by an innings and 106 runs.

The Oval, 12-14 Aug 1886

Eng 434 (WG Grace 170, WW Read 94, J Briggs 53).

Aus 68 (GA Lohmann 7-36) and 149 (GA Lohmann 5-68).

England won by an innings and 217 runs.

Sydney, 28-31 Jan 1887

Eng 45 (CTB Turner 6-15) and 184 (JJ Ferris 5-76).

Aus 119  and 97 (W Barnes 6-28).

England won by 13 runs.

Sydney, 25 Feb-1 Mar 1887

Eng 151 (JJ Ferris 5-71, CTB Turner 5-41) and 154.

Aus 84 (GA Lohmann 8-35) and 150.

England won by 71 runs.

Sydney, 10-15 Feb 1888

Eng 113 (CTB Turner 5-44) and 137 (CTB Turner 7-43).

Aus 42 (GA Lohmann 5-17, R Peel 5-18) and 82.

England won by 126 runs.

Australia's current losing run started in Chennai this February, when they were outclassed by eight wickets, followed by three straight defeats in Hyderabad, Mohali and Delhi.

Despite appointing Darren Lehmann as their new coach, after sacking of Mickey Arthur, their fortunes haven't changed.

England look set to retain the Ashes after convincing victories in Nottingham and Lord’s.

It remains to be seen if Australia can turn the tide in the third Test and keep the series alive. It will save them the ignominy of equalling their worst losing record in Tests.

Chennai, 22-26 Feb 2013

Aus 380 (DA Warner 59, MJ Clarke 130, MC Henriques 68; R Ashwin 7-103) and 241 (MC Henriques 81*; R Ashwin 5-95).

Ind  572 (SR Tendulkar 81, V Kohli 107, MS Dhoni 224; JL Pattinson 5-96) and 50-2.

India won by 8 wickets.

Hyderabad-RG, 2-5 Mar 2013

Aus 237-9* (MJ Clarke 91, MS Wade 62) and 131 (R Ashwin 5-63).

Ind 503 (M Vijay 167, CA Pujara 204).

India won by an innings and 135 runs.

Mohali, 14-18 Mar 2013

Aus 408 (EJM Cowan 86, DA Warner 71, SPD Smith 92, MA Starc 99) and 223 (PJ Hughes 69).

Ind 499 (M Vijay 153, S Dhawan 187, V Kohli 67*; PM Siddle 5-71) and 136-4.

India won by 6 wickets.

Delhi, 22-24 Mar 2013

Aus 262 (PM Siddle 51; R Ashwin 5-57) and 164 (PM Siddle 50; RA Jadeja 5-58).

Ind 272 (M Vijay 57, CA Pujara 52; NM Lyon 7-94) and 158-4 (CA Pujara 82*).

India won by 6 wickets.

Nottingham, 10-14 Jul 2013

Eng 215 (PM Siddle 5-50) and 375 (AN Cook 50, KP Pietersen 64, IR Bell 109, SCJ Broad 65).

Aus 280 (SPD Smith 53, PJ Hughes 81*, AC Agar 98; JM Anderson 5-85) and 296 (CJL Rogers 52, BJ Haddin 71; JM Anderson 5-73).

England won by 14 runs.

Lord’s, 18-21 Jul 2013

Eng 361 (IJL Trott 58, IR Bell 109, JM Bairstow 67; RJ Harris 5-72) and 349-7d (JE Root 180, IR Bell 74)

Aus 128 (GP Swann 5-44) and 235 (UT Khawaja 54, MJ Clarke 51)

The 347-run defeat is Australia's fourth worst defeat in Test cricket and biggest in recent years.

Australia’s biggest defeat is the innings and 579-run humiliation suffered against England at the Oval in 1938, while the next one is 675-run defeat against England at Brisbane in 1928-29.

Australia's biggest defeats in Test cricket: