Robert Craddock: How David Warner’s away Test record compares to Australia’s road warriors

Foreign conditions can make or break the career of batters. ROBERT CRADDOCK reflects on the Australians who have prospered overseas and how their records compare to David Warner.

Soon after David Warner raised his 26th Test century in Perth on Thursday someone in the press box quipped: “How good was Allan Border?’’

Huh? Where did that come from?

In fact, it was a worthy mention which spotlighted a relevant thread.

With Warner having his last Test match lap of Australia the focus turned to where he ranked in the pantheon of Australia’s greatest batsmen.

Warner’s average (45), runs (8651), number of Tests (110) and strike rate (70) demand he be put in the elite category with his only conspicuous soft spot being his overseas record, which featured an average of just 32.

Warner is not the first batsman to have a gulf between his home and away record but his struggles certainly put an extra layer of gravitas on the careers of men who regularly shone overseas, particularly those from bygone generations when conditions were rough and raw and more testing than they are today.

David Warner enjoys his century in Perth.

Warner has had a torrid time in England.

And here’s where the Border mention came in for the former captain was one of the great Road Warriors.

Border’s batting average abroad (56.6) was well ahead of his home return of 45.9 as he made centuries from Lord’s to Lahore, from Trent Bridge to Trinidad.

And that was in an era of home town umpires, often average hotels, no DRS, and, for many years, no coaching staff.

Once asked about why he was so good overseas, Border said: “I just found the home summers so frantic with so many distractions and pressures … I could really concentrate just on the cricket when we played overseas. It helped. And I enjoyed touring. I loved England and I enjoyed playing the slow bowlers in India and Pakistan.’’

Enjoyment. That’s the key issue. Steve Waugh, whose away average of 55.5 was better than he did at home, was another who found special enjoyment in playing abroad.

Allan Border built a formidable record away from Australia.

In an early tour to Pakistan, Waugh supported a vote to end the tour due to poor umpiring – he later claimed he was ashamed of himself for doing so – but he grew to enjoy life on the road.

Waugh would take his camera and shoot thousands of photos and with old mates like Gavin Robertson and Tim May in tow, he would often go exploring.

Even in the West Indies, when he was subjected to brutal torture on a vicious deck in Trinidad in 1995, he said “it was painful but I enjoyed it … that’s Test cricket”.

Of course no-one played better abroad than Don Bradman, whose 2674 runs at 102.9 in 19 overseas Tests was spectacular – but the tiny rider (yes, we are being picky) is that he only played on 10 Test grounds, all in Australia and England.