Perth ground profile

Perth used to be known as the fastest track in the world but in the last couple of years, things have changed a little, making it much more like Adelaide.

The side that wins the toss will almost certainly bat and though there will be some extra bounce for the bowlers, the batsmen should have the advantage as the pitch is unlikely to crack up over the five days.

Coping with the heat in Perth is always crucial and while the breeze that comes in the afternoon makes it much more pleasant, the bowlers also have to learn how to use it to their advantage.

Not surprisingly, Australia have an excellent record in Perth, with 19 wins, seven draws and seven losses in the 33 Tests to have been played at the WACA. The home side have also won eight of the last 10 there, with their last defeat coming back in 1997, at the hands of West Indies.

Interestingly, of the last 20 Tests there, six have been won by the side batting first and nine by the side batting second, with the other five ending in draws.

There is little to choose, it seems, in terms of the side batting first when it comes to their run total. In the past 20 Tests, the average score by a batsman in the first innings of the match is 33.6, while in the second it's 33.8.

For the batsmen in the team batting third, it's down to 30.9 but batting last should not present as many problems as most grounds as it's 29.8.

The highest score made to win a Test in Perth is 342-8, achieved by Australia against India in 1977, but other than that, it's just 236-3, again made by Australia in 1979, when they beat Pakistan.

P W1 W2 T D %R Ave Ave1 Ave2 Ave3 Ave4 runs/6 balls
33 11 15 0 7 79% 32.55 33.6 33.8 30.9 29.8 26.4 3.03