Steve Smith - How Could We Have Known?

Steve Smith averaged 137.4 in the 2017  - 2018 ashes series.  Since then he has shown a little vulnerability against spinners who turn the ball away from him.  Adil Rashid dismissed him twice in the five ODIs following the ashes and in the South African test series he has been out three times out of four to left arm spinners.  (Once Dean Elgar and twice Kesav Maharaj).

England selected an ashes squad which guaranteed Smith would not have to face this type of bowling, there was no orthodox left arm spinner and the leg spinner, Mason Crane, was a selection for the future not a realistic option for selection.

My first thought was this apparent vulnerability was really just random and, before the ashes, there was no way,  England could have realised Adil Rasid or Jack Leach might play an important part.  That was before I saw cricviz, who in their 11 November 2017 article wrote:

"Although Smith has an exceptional record against both pace and spin a closer look at his statistics reveal a weakness against leg spin – averaging 39.77, and against left arm finger spin – averaging 37.05. Unfortunately for England they don’t have a left arm finger spinner in their Test squad and are highly unlikely to play their leg spinner Mason Crane, especially not at the start of the series.

Smith’s average against off spin of 84.61 is higher than against any other bowler-type"

I don't know much about Cricviz, they look like a pretty professional outfit.  But if they could spot this so clearly and so early why couldn't the ECB, which has money to burn.