Australia haunted by fear of '84 six-straight loss repeat ahead of Old Trafford Test

The Australian media has pointed towards worrying parallels between the current Oz team and the last side to lose six Test matches on the trot, against the West Indies in 1984.

According to news.com.au, Allan Border had taken over from a tearful Kim Hughes for the last Test of that losing streak and won just seven of his first 39 Tests as captain before the unexpected renaissance of the 1989 Ashes tour five years later.

Already 2-0 down in this increasingly worrying Ashes campaign, making it six Tests losses in a row, Australia will be striving to avoid becoming the worst team in more than 100 years, the report said.