In Numbers | Joe Root's England Achieve Rare Series Sweep in Subcontinent

It is a rare event in cricket history. It has happened just six times in 85 years. England’s 3-0 sweep over Sri Lanka is only the seventh occasion when any overseas team has swept a series (two or more Test matches) against the three subcontinent giants – India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – in their own backyard (we consider UAE as a home venue for Pakistan).

Series sweeps against India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in their own backyard/neutral venue:

Pakistan in Sri Lanka, 1994

South Africa in India, 2000

Australia vs Pakistan, 2002 (Sri Lanka and UAE)

Australia in Sri Lanka, 2004

India in Sri Lanka 2017

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 2017 (UAE)

England in Sri Lanka, 2018

Sri Lanka has been whitewashed (minimum of 2 matches in a series) 5 times in their own backyard. India and Pakistan have faced this humiliation only once.

This is only the third instance in England’s long cricketing history when they have swept an overseas series (three or more Tests).

England now have 14 sweeps (minimum of 3 matches in a series) in their history – 11 at home and three away. Prior to their 3-0 sweep in Sri Lanka, their last overseas away sweep came in New Zealand in 1963. The first overseas sweep came in the 19^th century – in 1896 – in South Africa – that is how tough it is to win all matches in an away series!

Overseas series wins in Subcontinent/Asia by Non-Subcontinent teams:

Most teams have been routed on away tours in this period. Australia have lost 8 of their last 12 away series, India 6 of 10, New Zealand 5 of 10, Sri Lanka 6 of 13 and West Indies 9 of 10.

Most teams have a massive negative batting average – bowling average differential on away tours in the last five years – indicating that their bowlers have conceded many more runs per wicket taken than their batsmen have scored per dismissal – India (-2.51), South Africa (-3.58), Australia (-4.33), Sri Lanka (-6.83), New Zealand (-9.46) and England, amongst the worst (-9.82).

Home-advantage has been at its peak last two years in Test cricket as indicated by the home win-loss ratio of 2.434 (won 56 and lost 23) in this period. Since the 1^st of January, 2016, home teams have won 24 series while touring teams have just won 11 of the 45 series contested. It has been a difficult and challenging time for visiting teams.

In the light of the above, England’s sweep in Sri Lanka becomes even more significant and is nothing short of a colossal achievement.

While four English batsmen – Foakes, Buttler, Jennings and Root were amongst the five highest run-getters and England scored 4 hundreds in this series – the maximum for any touring England team in Sri Lanka ever – the main reason for England’s victory was the domination of the spin trio of Leach, Ali and Rashid – they combined to pick 48 of the 60 Sri Lankan wickets to fall in the series. Overall, the spin accounted for 49 Sri Lankan wickets – a record for England in any away series of three or less Tests.

Spinners accounted for 100 wickets in this series – the most in a three (or less) match series in Test history.

The English spinners outshone the Sri Lankan spinners conceding less runs per wicket (24.69 as compared to 31.56) and also bowling less number of deliveries per wicket (46.70 as compared to 53.10) than their counterparts.

England’s batting average (32.21) – bowling average (27.08) differential for the series was positive – an indicator of the excellent all-round effort by the team. This is the highest differential for England in an away series in this decade since their 3-1 Ashes win Down Under in 2010-11.

England’s bowling average of 27.08 and bowling strike rate of 51.7 (in this series) is their lowest in an away series in this decade – even better than the Ashes!

This was England’s second whitewash in a series (three or more Tests) in this decade – the only other being the 4-0 drubbing of India at home in 2011.

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