Looking to curb Australia’s habitual collapses, batting coach Michael Di Venuto wants his charges to toughen up in the fourth Ashes Test.
Michael Clarke and Adam Voges both struggled with the bat at Edgbaston, where England sliced through the middle order with ease in both innings to win the third Test.
The duo fell amid collapses of 5-60 and 4-30 in Birmingham, having also coughed up their wickets cheaply in the first Test during a slump of 5-25.
Dating back to the 2013 Ashes, Australia have suffered a crippling collapse of some description in every away series they’ve played.
“It’s decision making at this level .. whether you’re going to play or leave the ball, or attack the ball,” Di Venuto said.
“We saw some indecision in a couple of our dismissals, a couple of bad shots.
“It’s hard work, nobody’s saying it’s easy especially with the way they bowled.
“We’ve got to be a little bit tougher.”
Di Venuto added that the XI failed to adapt their approach and adjust to a seaming pitch.
“We were a bit slow off the mark to do that,” he said.
“It’s disappointing when that happens and it’s something we have to work on over the next few days.”
Jimmy Anderson’s injury-enforced omission will help in that regard on Thursday, when the Trent Bridge Test starts.
But another sold-out crowd baying for blood can be expected, while the pressure will be ramped up given the hosts reclaim the urn with another victory.
Throw in an inspired spell from Steve Finn or Stuart Broad and it can be near-impossible to prepare for a situation like that in the nets.
“It’s hard to get 30,000 people screaming at training,” Di Venuto said.
“And I’m not too sure Stuart Broad and James Anderson want to come and bowl to us at training.
“It’s obviously hard at training to do that sort of thing, but we’ve all been in those situations before out in the middle.
“That’s where the two guys in the middle have to take responsibility and get through.”
AUSSIES’ RECENT TEST COLLAPSES ON THE ROAD
2015:
*3-29 v West Indies, Dominica
*5-25 v England, Cardiff
*5-60, 4-30 v England, Edgbaston
2014:
*4-5 v Pakistan, Dubai
*4-56 v Pakistan, Dubai
*10-90 v South Africa, Port Elizabeth
2013:
*8-56 v England, Durham.
