Uppercut
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Seems pointless with Stokes there. Lyon's been good imo. Seems ridiculous but Broad probably just has to miss out.
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Player ratings thread
- Thread starter morgieb
- Start date
TheJediBrah
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It's not like the team is going to play anyone. I wouldn't pick a spinner just for the sake of it when another fast bowler has been better.
Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
England 6
Australia 7
Umpires 2
Crowd 9
Sky 6
TMS 4
Cricketweb - will conduct the Thanksgiving ceremony
Australia 7
Umpires 2
Crowd 9
Sky 6
TMS 4
Cricketweb - will conduct the Thanksgiving ceremony
morgieb
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Warner 0 - looks all at sea against Broad. I know he's still in our Best XI, but frankly he might have to be dropped from The Oval for his own good, frankly.
Harris 1 - almost struggling as badly as Warner is. Broad's exposed a technical flaw that makes him a walking wicket in these conditions.
Labuschagne 7 - good 50 first up before a peach. And took a key wicket when the game was starting to drift away from Australia second innings.
Smith 10 - I have no words at this point. Except a 20/10 was probably an appropriate score for this game....hell even this series. I said last Ashes that watching him bat is like people watching Bradman bat, and it's apt. Hell, at this point the comparisions aren't completely bullshit.....
Head 3 - not good. Managed a couple of semi-starts but didn't look all that comfortable while doing so and got out before stamping his authority on the game (and also got out at potentially crucial points in the game)
Wade 4 - managed a decent second innings while Smith was going bananas up the other end. What on earth was that shot first innings, though?
Paine 7 - good recovery after having a stinker of a series before hand. Important 50 and partnership first innings and captained pretty well I thought. Keeping was mostly on point.
Cummins 9 - he's just simply a great bowler. That brace at the end of Day 4 was frankly match-winning and never looked bad all game.
Starc 7.5 - did bowl a couple of dodgy spells here and there (especially Day 3) but threw in some very dangerous ones too. Managed an impressive cameo with the bat too.
Lyon 5 - did lift when the side needed it the most but before that....not great. That finger injury might give him some mitigation, though.
Hazlewood 9 - when he bowls like this you have to wonder what went wrong last year. He's on fire and doing it in such a simple, repeatable way. Without that spell at the end of Day 3 Australia probably can't force victory.
Burns 7 - well batted first innings. Very impressive temperment showed and a key sign he's worth persisting with.
Denly 6 - second innings the big one here. It wasn't a very fluent innings but it was still a pretty important knock.
Root 6.5 - similar first innings to Burns, but captaincy wasn't great.
Roy 4 - at least he got starts here batting down the order. But quite frankly is still nowhere near up to standard.
Stokes 3 - back to earth after a superhuman display at Leeds. Bowled poorly and didn't kick on with a good start first innings.
Bairstow 4 - couple of starts, kept OK-ish. Overall pretty forgettable.
Buttler 7 - best Test he's played this series by quite a distance. Dug in hard second dig and managed a decent cameo first dig that was only disrupted by running out of partners and time.
Overton 6.5 - a lot of that mark is for the batting, but still bowled reasonably well.
Archer 5 - one great spell second innings, beyond that looked listless and was very ordinary first dig. Looks poor with the bat too, despite his all-round credentials.
Broad 7 - pick of the England bowlers for mine. Was fantastic with the new ball and never dropped his load at any point
Leach 6 - not a fantastic game with the ball but still did well first innings, and dug in really hard second innings to make Australia's push for victory harder.
Harris 1 - almost struggling as badly as Warner is. Broad's exposed a technical flaw that makes him a walking wicket in these conditions.
Labuschagne 7 - good 50 first up before a peach. And took a key wicket when the game was starting to drift away from Australia second innings.
Smith 10 - I have no words at this point. Except a 20/10 was probably an appropriate score for this game....hell even this series. I said last Ashes that watching him bat is like people watching Bradman bat, and it's apt. Hell, at this point the comparisions aren't completely bullshit.....
Head 3 - not good. Managed a couple of semi-starts but didn't look all that comfortable while doing so and got out before stamping his authority on the game (and also got out at potentially crucial points in the game)
Wade 4 - managed a decent second innings while Smith was going bananas up the other end. What on earth was that shot first innings, though?
Paine 7 - good recovery after having a stinker of a series before hand. Important 50 and partnership first innings and captained pretty well I thought. Keeping was mostly on point.
Cummins 9 - he's just simply a great bowler. That brace at the end of Day 4 was frankly match-winning and never looked bad all game.
Starc 7.5 - did bowl a couple of dodgy spells here and there (especially Day 3) but threw in some very dangerous ones too. Managed an impressive cameo with the bat too.
Lyon 5 - did lift when the side needed it the most but before that....not great. That finger injury might give him some mitigation, though.
Hazlewood 9 - when he bowls like this you have to wonder what went wrong last year. He's on fire and doing it in such a simple, repeatable way. Without that spell at the end of Day 3 Australia probably can't force victory.
Burns 7 - well batted first innings. Very impressive temperment showed and a key sign he's worth persisting with.
Denly 6 - second innings the big one here. It wasn't a very fluent innings but it was still a pretty important knock.
Root 6.5 - similar first innings to Burns, but captaincy wasn't great.
Roy 4 - at least he got starts here batting down the order. But quite frankly is still nowhere near up to standard.
Stokes 3 - back to earth after a superhuman display at Leeds. Bowled poorly and didn't kick on with a good start first innings.
Bairstow 4 - couple of starts, kept OK-ish. Overall pretty forgettable.
Buttler 7 - best Test he's played this series by quite a distance. Dug in hard second dig and managed a decent cameo first dig that was only disrupted by running out of partners and time.
Overton 6.5 - a lot of that mark is for the batting, but still bowled reasonably well.
Archer 5 - one great spell second innings, beyond that looked listless and was very ordinary first dig. Looks poor with the bat too, despite his all-round credentials.
Broad 7 - pick of the England bowlers for mine. Was fantastic with the new ball and never dropped his load at any point
Leach 6 - not a fantastic game with the ball but still did well first innings, and dug in really hard second innings to make Australia's push for victory harder.
quincywagstaff
International Debutant
I'd give Paine even higher than 7. That 1st innings batting (albeit lucky with the Roy drop) was massively important as it looked after Wade's dismissal the Oz were going to waste another Smith epic. Also did well in his 2nd innings cameo and his keeping and captaincy was generally excellent. Has to take credit for ensuring side didn't lose way after Headingley.
Lyon I'd rate lower. He improved after Tea yesterday but in general on a pitch that offered him plenty he was pretty disappointing. That it was Labuscahgne who got the pivotal breakthrough where Lyon couldn't also significant.
Lyon I'd rate lower. He improved after Tea yesterday but in general on a pitch that offered him plenty he was pretty disappointing. That it was Labuscahgne who got the pivotal breakthrough where Lyon couldn't also significant.
Cabinet96
Hall of Fame Member
Series ratings from worst to best:
Marcus Harris: 0/10 - Managed to replace Bancroft and do even worse. His average innings lasted only 20 balls and unlike Warner he didn't even have a one off score to hold onto. Despite his inept batting Australia could well have won 4-0 if he'd fielded well. Dropping Stokes at Headingley (tough chance) and Denly at the Oval (easy chance) were crucial to both defeats.
Jason Roy: 0.5/10 - Managed to do as badly as his many doubters thought he would. Fielding errors weren't as costly as Harris but he did drop Paine at Old Trafford when Australia were looking like they might let another Smith masterclass go to waste.
James Anderson: 1/10: Apparently passed all the fitness tests to play at Edgbaston so grading him like this is harsh. But his injury was key in England letting their advantage slip in the first test, not to mention potentially weakening their attack for the rest of the series.
David Warner: 1/10 - Got one score, which in fairness should've been a match winning contribution during really tough batting conditions in the first dig at Headlingley, but comically bad otherwise. As staggering in his consistency of failure as Smith was in his consistency of excellence.
Cameron Bancroft: 1.5/10 - Gets a higher rating than the other batting clowns for being a great short leg fielder, and for scratching around while looking out of his depth for longer than Harris, which ironically might have made the selectors pull the trigger quicker.
Moeen Ali: 2/10 - Spared a tougher rating because his ineptitude only lasted one test. Bowled terribly and looked multiple levels of cricket out of his depth against Lyon.
Usman Khawaja: 3/10 - Some starts, which in a series like this couldn't be considered useless the way they often are. Still a bad return for someone who had become one of the most senior and dependable batsmen in the Australia lineup.
Jonny Bairstow: 3.5/10 - A disastrous summer in red ball cricket. Was probably considered one of England's three best test batsman a couple of years ago, now could deservedly be dropped.
Travis Head: 4/10 - A couple of important knocks at Edgbaston and on the final day at Lords. Fell off after that and his failure to make a big score from his starts (plus his evident weakness at keeping out straight balls) ultimately cost him a place in the side. But like with Khawaja, those 20s and 30s made him more valuable than a lot of batsman in the series.
Peter Siddle: 4/10 - I missed most of the first test where he apparently bowled pretty well without getting big wickets. Bowled horrifically at the Oval but also gets a significant boost for the series in my estimation for that first innings at Edgbaston with the bat which essentially shifted the balance of the first test.
Jos Buttler: 4.5/10 - A disaster in the first three tests but produced four innings ranging from decent to good in the last two tests. But if that wasn't enough to retain his place in the side, he can't have any complaints.
Chris Woakes: 4.5/10 - Started the series reasonably strongly with bat and ball at Edgbaston but then got roughed up by the short ball and his bowling got worse as the series went on. Also strangely under bowled in the first two tests, and despite only getting 10 wickets somehow managed to get Smith out three times.
Craig Overton: 4.5/10 - Bowled ok on a flat deck at Old Trafford and showed good heart with the bat in the final innings. All in all did ok considering I don't really think he's up to this level.
Tim Paine: 4.5/10 - History will say Tim Paine did what Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke never could; come back from a tour of England with the Ashes in Australia's hands. Best to keep the mediocre batting returns quiet. Keeping was ok but nothing special. Loses a mark for idiotic use of reviews at Headingley (and throughout the series) but gains it back for the Labuschagne masterstroke at Old Trafford.
Sam Curran: 5/10 - I came out of the Oval thinking I'd previously underrated him as a bowler. For balance reasons hard to justify playing him and Stokes in the same team regularly but the guy is good at cricket.
Mitchell Marsh: 5.5/10 - Bowled very well, but failed to properly produce with the bat which is what Australia needed most from their all-rounder. Like so many all-rounders before he's a somewhat lambasted figure while only being a little bit of improvement away from being top class.
Mitchell Starc: 5.5/10 - In his one test he slogged a few boundaries, bowled a few overs of garbage, cleaned up with the second new ball, and took a key wicket at a period when nothing was happening in the fourth innings. Pretty quintessential Starc.
Joe Denly: 5.5/10 - When it comes to batting standards on both sides the bar is virtually on the floor, so Denly's three fifties at 31 look like a top effort. Got pretty lucky in a few of his knocks but showed more than most. Will get the winter, but at 33 and with mediocre career returns it's hard to be particularly thrilled about him as a long term option.
Mathew Wade: 5.5/10 - Bit feast or famine, with two good hundreds and only a 30 elsewhere. But those hundreds finished England off at Edgbaston when Australia's foot was on the throat, and kept Australia alive for a bit when the roles were reversed at the Oval.
Joe Root: 6/10 - Honestly not a terrible series given the overall batting performance of the sides. On the curve of Root's career the series represents a real low point, however. When the 2015 series finished he was ranked No.1 in the world. Now the gap between him and Smith has never looked bigger. His habit of getting bowled by magic balls from Cummins somewhat summed up the whole series.
Nathan Lyon: 6/10 - Won Australia a test at Edgbaston but was surprisingly poor/ineffective in the middle three tests (seemingly struggling with a finger injury at Old Trafford and the Oval). Overall returns were ok but his fumble at Headingley ultimately cost Australia a series win.
James Pattinson: 6/10 - Bowled fast and accurately without getting the rewards that Archer, Cummins and Hazlewood did. The fact he only played two tests shows the fear over his physical suitability to long format cricket remains, however.
Jack Leach: 6.5/10 - Grabbed most attention with his batting (again) but also bowled pretty effectively throughout the series. Has probably done enough to cement himself as England's main spinner for the foreseeable future now.
Rory Burns: 7/10 - The biggest plus point for England by far. Not a pretty player and had his fair share of luck when getting scores, but his series performance was by far the best of any England opener not named Cook or Strauss for 14 years. They might finally have something to build on in the top order. Also a great fielder.
Marnus Labuschagne: 7.5/10 - If Burns was an unexpected plus/find for England, Labuschagne was an even more extreme one for Australia. There was little reason to believe he would be a hit this series bar some good returns in County Cricket this season, and his entrance into the series was bizarre, but he ends it as Australia's second most secure batsman in the XI. Four fifties and a 48 in seven innings represents a fantastic level of consistency. Only the lack of a single big score held him back.
Stuart Broad: 7.5/10 - He really does love Ashes cricket. Terrorised the left handers and generally stepped up in the absence of Anderson, even if he only ended up being the 4th best bowler of the series. A great return when many believed this summer could be it for him in international cricket.
Jofra Archer: 8/10 - An unbelievable addition to the England side (even if it might have been more useful if he came in the form of a No.3 batsman). Like the two Australian seamers to follow, demonstrated a remarkable ability to bowl fast and accurately over long spells. Produced some of the most riveting periods of the series at Lords and the Oval with his pace and hostility.
Josh Hazlewood: 8/10 - Almost certainly the standout series of his career. After missing the first test he hit the ground running straight away bowling quick and accurately for long periods. After a poor period he's reestablished himself as one of the best bowlers in the world. Nothing demonstrated the depth of Australia's fast bowling quality more than Hazlewood.
Ben Stokes: 8.5/10 - Really did carry England on his back at times. Managed to do the unthinkable and pip Smith to a batting feat, with the standout innings of the series. Ended the series with an impressive average of 55 with two centuries and two fifties, though the raw stats don't really do justification to the quality of his contribution (he does need to become a bit better at getting easy runs mind). His bowling wasn't good overall but he kept England in the series with his long spell at Headingley, more than a day before his batting heroics won them the match.
Pat Cummins: 9/10 - His evolution from being just a fast bowling idea and possibility - who could never get on the park to play and become a reality - to arguably being the best and most durable bowler in the world is truly one of the greatest stories of world cricket in the last three years. He never moves the ball extravagantly, which might be why he didn't pick up any five wicket hauls, but his pace, accuracy and relentless nature over after over, spell after spell, test after test is something you can only marvel at. Bowled by far the most overs of any seamer, and took 29 wickets, which is the fourth most in an Ashes series this century I believe, after Warne (40) in 05, and McGrath and Johnson (31) in 01 and 13/14.
Steve Smith: 10/10 - Simply Bradmanesq. Most runs in a series in the 21st century, second most runs in a four match series ever. Staggeringly consistent while also being ruthless when set. Averaged 110 but could easily have averaged over 150 if he hadn't been so selfless when batting with the tail or for decelerations, not to mention the concussion dismissal. That he did it while under huge pressure following the ban will only add to the legend that will be remembered in decades to come.
That took way too much time. It feels like the difference between the best and worst performers this series was maybe the most I've ever seen in a long test series, but not sure if that's just reactionary. Ftr I was surprised I put Cummins ahead of Stokes but I think it's correct given the course of the series. Maybe Stokes suffers from the fact he's judged in two disciplines and is a volatile cricketer.
Marcus Harris: 0/10 - Managed to replace Bancroft and do even worse. His average innings lasted only 20 balls and unlike Warner he didn't even have a one off score to hold onto. Despite his inept batting Australia could well have won 4-0 if he'd fielded well. Dropping Stokes at Headingley (tough chance) and Denly at the Oval (easy chance) were crucial to both defeats.
Jason Roy: 0.5/10 - Managed to do as badly as his many doubters thought he would. Fielding errors weren't as costly as Harris but he did drop Paine at Old Trafford when Australia were looking like they might let another Smith masterclass go to waste.
James Anderson: 1/10: Apparently passed all the fitness tests to play at Edgbaston so grading him like this is harsh. But his injury was key in England letting their advantage slip in the first test, not to mention potentially weakening their attack for the rest of the series.
David Warner: 1/10 - Got one score, which in fairness should've been a match winning contribution during really tough batting conditions in the first dig at Headlingley, but comically bad otherwise. As staggering in his consistency of failure as Smith was in his consistency of excellence.
Cameron Bancroft: 1.5/10 - Gets a higher rating than the other batting clowns for being a great short leg fielder, and for scratching around while looking out of his depth for longer than Harris, which ironically might have made the selectors pull the trigger quicker.
Moeen Ali: 2/10 - Spared a tougher rating because his ineptitude only lasted one test. Bowled terribly and looked multiple levels of cricket out of his depth against Lyon.
Usman Khawaja: 3/10 - Some starts, which in a series like this couldn't be considered useless the way they often are. Still a bad return for someone who had become one of the most senior and dependable batsmen in the Australia lineup.
Jonny Bairstow: 3.5/10 - A disastrous summer in red ball cricket. Was probably considered one of England's three best test batsman a couple of years ago, now could deservedly be dropped.
Travis Head: 4/10 - A couple of important knocks at Edgbaston and on the final day at Lords. Fell off after that and his failure to make a big score from his starts (plus his evident weakness at keeping out straight balls) ultimately cost him a place in the side. But like with Khawaja, those 20s and 30s made him more valuable than a lot of batsman in the series.
Peter Siddle: 4/10 - I missed most of the first test where he apparently bowled pretty well without getting big wickets. Bowled horrifically at the Oval but also gets a significant boost for the series in my estimation for that first innings at Edgbaston with the bat which essentially shifted the balance of the first test.
Jos Buttler: 4.5/10 - A disaster in the first three tests but produced four innings ranging from decent to good in the last two tests. But if that wasn't enough to retain his place in the side, he can't have any complaints.
Chris Woakes: 4.5/10 - Started the series reasonably strongly with bat and ball at Edgbaston but then got roughed up by the short ball and his bowling got worse as the series went on. Also strangely under bowled in the first two tests, and despite only getting 10 wickets somehow managed to get Smith out three times.
Craig Overton: 4.5/10 - Bowled ok on a flat deck at Old Trafford and showed good heart with the bat in the final innings. All in all did ok considering I don't really think he's up to this level.
Tim Paine: 4.5/10 - History will say Tim Paine did what Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke never could; come back from a tour of England with the Ashes in Australia's hands. Best to keep the mediocre batting returns quiet. Keeping was ok but nothing special. Loses a mark for idiotic use of reviews at Headingley (and throughout the series) but gains it back for the Labuschagne masterstroke at Old Trafford.
Sam Curran: 5/10 - I came out of the Oval thinking I'd previously underrated him as a bowler. For balance reasons hard to justify playing him and Stokes in the same team regularly but the guy is good at cricket.
Mitchell Marsh: 5.5/10 - Bowled very well, but failed to properly produce with the bat which is what Australia needed most from their all-rounder. Like so many all-rounders before he's a somewhat lambasted figure while only being a little bit of improvement away from being top class.
Mitchell Starc: 5.5/10 - In his one test he slogged a few boundaries, bowled a few overs of garbage, cleaned up with the second new ball, and took a key wicket at a period when nothing was happening in the fourth innings. Pretty quintessential Starc.
Joe Denly: 5.5/10 - When it comes to batting standards on both sides the bar is virtually on the floor, so Denly's three fifties at 31 look like a top effort. Got pretty lucky in a few of his knocks but showed more than most. Will get the winter, but at 33 and with mediocre career returns it's hard to be particularly thrilled about him as a long term option.
Mathew Wade: 5.5/10 - Bit feast or famine, with two good hundreds and only a 30 elsewhere. But those hundreds finished England off at Edgbaston when Australia's foot was on the throat, and kept Australia alive for a bit when the roles were reversed at the Oval.
Joe Root: 6/10 - Honestly not a terrible series given the overall batting performance of the sides. On the curve of Root's career the series represents a real low point, however. When the 2015 series finished he was ranked No.1 in the world. Now the gap between him and Smith has never looked bigger. His habit of getting bowled by magic balls from Cummins somewhat summed up the whole series.
Nathan Lyon: 6/10 - Won Australia a test at Edgbaston but was surprisingly poor/ineffective in the middle three tests (seemingly struggling with a finger injury at Old Trafford and the Oval). Overall returns were ok but his fumble at Headingley ultimately cost Australia a series win.
James Pattinson: 6/10 - Bowled fast and accurately without getting the rewards that Archer, Cummins and Hazlewood did. The fact he only played two tests shows the fear over his physical suitability to long format cricket remains, however.
Jack Leach: 6.5/10 - Grabbed most attention with his batting (again) but also bowled pretty effectively throughout the series. Has probably done enough to cement himself as England's main spinner for the foreseeable future now.
Rory Burns: 7/10 - The biggest plus point for England by far. Not a pretty player and had his fair share of luck when getting scores, but his series performance was by far the best of any England opener not named Cook or Strauss for 14 years. They might finally have something to build on in the top order. Also a great fielder.
Marnus Labuschagne: 7.5/10 - If Burns was an unexpected plus/find for England, Labuschagne was an even more extreme one for Australia. There was little reason to believe he would be a hit this series bar some good returns in County Cricket this season, and his entrance into the series was bizarre, but he ends it as Australia's second most secure batsman in the XI. Four fifties and a 48 in seven innings represents a fantastic level of consistency. Only the lack of a single big score held him back.
Stuart Broad: 7.5/10 - He really does love Ashes cricket. Terrorised the left handers and generally stepped up in the absence of Anderson, even if he only ended up being the 4th best bowler of the series. A great return when many believed this summer could be it for him in international cricket.
Jofra Archer: 8/10 - An unbelievable addition to the England side (even if it might have been more useful if he came in the form of a No.3 batsman). Like the two Australian seamers to follow, demonstrated a remarkable ability to bowl fast and accurately over long spells. Produced some of the most riveting periods of the series at Lords and the Oval with his pace and hostility.
Josh Hazlewood: 8/10 - Almost certainly the standout series of his career. After missing the first test he hit the ground running straight away bowling quick and accurately for long periods. After a poor period he's reestablished himself as one of the best bowlers in the world. Nothing demonstrated the depth of Australia's fast bowling quality more than Hazlewood.
Ben Stokes: 8.5/10 - Really did carry England on his back at times. Managed to do the unthinkable and pip Smith to a batting feat, with the standout innings of the series. Ended the series with an impressive average of 55 with two centuries and two fifties, though the raw stats don't really do justification to the quality of his contribution (he does need to become a bit better at getting easy runs mind). His bowling wasn't good overall but he kept England in the series with his long spell at Headingley, more than a day before his batting heroics won them the match.
Pat Cummins: 9/10 - His evolution from being just a fast bowling idea and possibility - who could never get on the park to play and become a reality - to arguably being the best and most durable bowler in the world is truly one of the greatest stories of world cricket in the last three years. He never moves the ball extravagantly, which might be why he didn't pick up any five wicket hauls, but his pace, accuracy and relentless nature over after over, spell after spell, test after test is something you can only marvel at. Bowled by far the most overs of any seamer, and took 29 wickets, which is the fourth most in an Ashes series this century I believe, after Warne (40) in 05, and McGrath and Johnson (31) in 01 and 13/14.
Steve Smith: 10/10 - Simply Bradmanesq. Most runs in a series in the 21st century, second most runs in a four match series ever. Staggeringly consistent while also being ruthless when set. Averaged 110 but could easily have averaged over 150 if he hadn't been so selfless when batting with the tail or for decelerations, not to mention the concussion dismissal. That he did it while under huge pressure following the ban will only add to the legend that will be remembered in decades to come.
That took way too much time. It feels like the difference between the best and worst performers this series was maybe the most I've ever seen in a long test series, but not sure if that's just reactionary. Ftr I was surprised I put Cummins ahead of Stokes but I think it's correct given the course of the series. Maybe Stokes suffers from the fact he's judged in two disciplines and is a volatile cricketer.
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morgieb
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Burns 7 - England's batting find of the series. Did have some serious luck at times and never looked too fluent but dug in and got some good scores, which basically no other opener managed. Hell, did better than any opener that wasn't Cook or Strauss since Trescothick retired....
Roy 1 - was always going to be a gamble to play him as an opener and so it proved - he was horrid. Did a little bit better in the middle-order but even then couldn't kick on. If England go back to him they've got rocks in their head.
Root 6 - weird series - managed a heap of ducks, but also got a number of 50's before getting out. In his defence, it felt like he got a heap of unplayable balls, though perhaps could've done more to kick on and put the Aussie bowling under pressure. Generally captained poorly, though at least didn't make howlers to the same degree that Paine did.
Denly 6 - still not convinced he's up to it, but fared pretty well here especially later in the series. Given how poor their opening stocks have been recently getting 2 50's up there in four innings is actually a decent contribution, even if at times he was a bit lucky.
Stokes 8.5 - arguably the worst regular bowler on display that played more than one Test (i.e. discounting Moeen), but still managed a couple of useful contributions, especially at Leeds where if he had bowled poorly that innings probably wouldn't have mattered. Batting though was superb. Didn't quite cash in as regularly as Smith did, but made most of his contributions count - with one Top 10 innings of all-time to somehow win a Test out of nowhere, and another innings that was a match-saver. Without a doubt, England's key player.
Buttler 5 - was awful in the first three Tests, but fared a lot better as time went on and actually made some key contributions. Hard to know whether he'll retain his slot given that England actually have some decent middle-order options and the fact that he can't realistically bat above 5, but could be the keeping option instead of Bairstow.
Bairstow 4 - couple of key knocks, very little else otherwise with the bat. I guess he kept OK too, but didn't really light any trees up while keeping. With Foakes on the sidelines and Buttler looking good at #7, I think it's time to go.
Ali 2 - might have been the worst 3 wicket performance of all-time. Second innings especially he looked a deer in the headlights. Feel for him, he just appeared mentally shot. It's a long way back though will still have value when England next tour Asia.
Woakes 4.5 - started off well at Edgbaston, but got worse and worse from there on in. His weakness with the bat was exposed brutally, and was generally ineffective with the ball in the last three Tests. Might have done better if he wasn't underbowled so much, though.
Broad 8 - just very good all-round. Being harsh, probably would've wanted a big match-defining spell and did occasionally get exposed when Australia's batting got going, but always could be relied upon to take key breakthroughs with the new ball, and never bowled badly.
Anderson N/A - can't grade him off what was only 4 overs. Should never have played until he got 100% fit though given his age and fitness problems. Terrible management of the situation.
Archer 8.5 - there were moments where he looked a bit half-arsed and his batting and fielding displays were poor, but for so long England's bowling needed X-factor, and boy did he deliver in this regard. Could be relied on to deliver an extremely hostile and rapid spell at least once a Test, and most of the time it had Australia's batting in disarray. What an addition to England's side.
Leach 6.5 - the new cult hero mostly got his reputation for his batting, but you can't complain about how he bowled either. For once England had a spinner that could deliver control when things wasn't going his way and managed some very useful spells when the wicket was proving dry. First-choice Test spinner for the forseeable future.
Overton 6 - bowled fairly well and nearly pulled off a miracle with the bat. Not really Test-standard but he does have spirit, which is all you can ask for.
Curran 6 - ordinary with the bat, but proved a lot sharper with the ball than the last time I saw him bowl. Right now not really a place for him in the English team but is a serious cricketer. In any case, I think he might have overtaken Woakes as far as the "back-up to Anderson" slot goes.
Warner 1 - at least his one start he managed to turn into a crucial knock, one that should've been match-winning. Other than that though.....
Bancroft 1 - stayed in a bit longer than Warner and Harris and fielded well, but overall not good. Has played his last Test for a while unless he really bashes the door down at Shield level.
Khawaja 3 - couple of starts but didn't kick on with any of them and hard to say any of them were significant either. I still would've recalled him for The Oval test though, if only because of how bad the other openers were doing.
Smith 10 - what more can be said? He's the best batsman of his generation, and the way he's going he'll lock up the "best post-WWII batsman" award too by the end of his career. Scored runs everywhere and just looked impossible to dismiss. And this was against extremely hostile bowling too. Basically only fatigue, concussion and slogging could get him out. In terms of consistency this has the Indian series beat IMO, and this was probably the best individual batting series by anyone in the 21st Century.
Head 4 - started off OK but tailed off somewhat as things went out. Bit unlucky to get dropped for the last Test though. Without him at Lord's it might not have mattered that it rained for effectively two days.
Wade 5.5 - mixed bag, but you can't completely write off two tons, and while the situations weren't super tense they weren't exactly downhill skiing otherwise (first one being when England weren't completely out of the match, second one when England were one wicket away from storming home). Has earned a proper run at this point.
Paine 3 - yes, he is responsible for retaining the Ashes away from home, which is something Ponting or Clarke couldn't manage. But his actual play was mostly bad. His batting was poor other than Old Trafford, he didn't keep all that well I felt and while his strategy was good some of his other captaincy (toss/DRS decisions) was baffling.
Pattinson 6 - think he bowled bettter than his stats suggested, kept things fairly tight and was a bit unlucky especially at Edgbaston. Still, a bit disappointing given the hype.
Cummins 9 - only a 9 because he failed to take a 5-fer and some of his new ball bowling seemed a tad disappointing. But for the most part was brilliant. He's just an amazing bowler.
Siddle 5 - started off pretty well and a bit unlucky in the first two Tests, but no excuses for what happened here. Realistically should have played his last Test. Still his Edgbaston knock was a match-winner.
Lyon 6 - match-winning spell at Edgbaston, but struggled somewhat afterwards. Seemed a bit listless and England played him generally rather well. And that fumble looks worse and worse as time goes on....
Hazlewood 8.5 - should have played the first Test, even though we won otherwise. Was tired at The Oval but before that showed exactly why he was seen as the new McGrath. This was what I expected of him for the last two years.
Labuschagne 7.5 - biggest find of the series for Australia. Came in when Australia were in some significant trouble in unusual circumstances, then played the key innings to save that Test. Overall made plenty of great contributions, though I would've loved a century. At last Australia have found a quality all-conditions batsman to go with Smith.
Harris 0 - urgh. Did nothing of significance throughout the series and made some crucial clangers in the field. Should be a long time before he comes back.
Starc 6 - mix of dodgy spells with great ones, but overall looked more solid than I've seen him for a while, and managed a useful slog for good measure too. Should have played over Siddle at The Oval.
Marsh 6.5 - bowled very well here, but he's in the side for his batting and he didn't do enough in that regard. He'll be top of the mind for any flat decks Australia come across but right now he's a bit of a tweener sort of player ala Curran.
Roy 1 - was always going to be a gamble to play him as an opener and so it proved - he was horrid. Did a little bit better in the middle-order but even then couldn't kick on. If England go back to him they've got rocks in their head.
Root 6 - weird series - managed a heap of ducks, but also got a number of 50's before getting out. In his defence, it felt like he got a heap of unplayable balls, though perhaps could've done more to kick on and put the Aussie bowling under pressure. Generally captained poorly, though at least didn't make howlers to the same degree that Paine did.
Denly 6 - still not convinced he's up to it, but fared pretty well here especially later in the series. Given how poor their opening stocks have been recently getting 2 50's up there in four innings is actually a decent contribution, even if at times he was a bit lucky.
Stokes 8.5 - arguably the worst regular bowler on display that played more than one Test (i.e. discounting Moeen), but still managed a couple of useful contributions, especially at Leeds where if he had bowled poorly that innings probably wouldn't have mattered. Batting though was superb. Didn't quite cash in as regularly as Smith did, but made most of his contributions count - with one Top 10 innings of all-time to somehow win a Test out of nowhere, and another innings that was a match-saver. Without a doubt, England's key player.
Buttler 5 - was awful in the first three Tests, but fared a lot better as time went on and actually made some key contributions. Hard to know whether he'll retain his slot given that England actually have some decent middle-order options and the fact that he can't realistically bat above 5, but could be the keeping option instead of Bairstow.
Bairstow 4 - couple of key knocks, very little else otherwise with the bat. I guess he kept OK too, but didn't really light any trees up while keeping. With Foakes on the sidelines and Buttler looking good at #7, I think it's time to go.
Ali 2 - might have been the worst 3 wicket performance of all-time. Second innings especially he looked a deer in the headlights. Feel for him, he just appeared mentally shot. It's a long way back though will still have value when England next tour Asia.
Woakes 4.5 - started off well at Edgbaston, but got worse and worse from there on in. His weakness with the bat was exposed brutally, and was generally ineffective with the ball in the last three Tests. Might have done better if he wasn't underbowled so much, though.
Broad 8 - just very good all-round. Being harsh, probably would've wanted a big match-defining spell and did occasionally get exposed when Australia's batting got going, but always could be relied upon to take key breakthroughs with the new ball, and never bowled badly.
Anderson N/A - can't grade him off what was only 4 overs. Should never have played until he got 100% fit though given his age and fitness problems. Terrible management of the situation.
Archer 8.5 - there were moments where he looked a bit half-arsed and his batting and fielding displays were poor, but for so long England's bowling needed X-factor, and boy did he deliver in this regard. Could be relied on to deliver an extremely hostile and rapid spell at least once a Test, and most of the time it had Australia's batting in disarray. What an addition to England's side.
Leach 6.5 - the new cult hero mostly got his reputation for his batting, but you can't complain about how he bowled either. For once England had a spinner that could deliver control when things wasn't going his way and managed some very useful spells when the wicket was proving dry. First-choice Test spinner for the forseeable future.
Overton 6 - bowled fairly well and nearly pulled off a miracle with the bat. Not really Test-standard but he does have spirit, which is all you can ask for.
Curran 6 - ordinary with the bat, but proved a lot sharper with the ball than the last time I saw him bowl. Right now not really a place for him in the English team but is a serious cricketer. In any case, I think he might have overtaken Woakes as far as the "back-up to Anderson" slot goes.
Warner 1 - at least his one start he managed to turn into a crucial knock, one that should've been match-winning. Other than that though.....
Bancroft 1 - stayed in a bit longer than Warner and Harris and fielded well, but overall not good. Has played his last Test for a while unless he really bashes the door down at Shield level.
Khawaja 3 - couple of starts but didn't kick on with any of them and hard to say any of them were significant either. I still would've recalled him for The Oval test though, if only because of how bad the other openers were doing.
Smith 10 - what more can be said? He's the best batsman of his generation, and the way he's going he'll lock up the "best post-WWII batsman" award too by the end of his career. Scored runs everywhere and just looked impossible to dismiss. And this was against extremely hostile bowling too. Basically only fatigue, concussion and slogging could get him out. In terms of consistency this has the Indian series beat IMO, and this was probably the best individual batting series by anyone in the 21st Century.
Head 4 - started off OK but tailed off somewhat as things went out. Bit unlucky to get dropped for the last Test though. Without him at Lord's it might not have mattered that it rained for effectively two days.
Wade 5.5 - mixed bag, but you can't completely write off two tons, and while the situations weren't super tense they weren't exactly downhill skiing otherwise (first one being when England weren't completely out of the match, second one when England were one wicket away from storming home). Has earned a proper run at this point.
Paine 3 - yes, he is responsible for retaining the Ashes away from home, which is something Ponting or Clarke couldn't manage. But his actual play was mostly bad. His batting was poor other than Old Trafford, he didn't keep all that well I felt and while his strategy was good some of his other captaincy (toss/DRS decisions) was baffling.
Pattinson 6 - think he bowled bettter than his stats suggested, kept things fairly tight and was a bit unlucky especially at Edgbaston. Still, a bit disappointing given the hype.
Cummins 9 - only a 9 because he failed to take a 5-fer and some of his new ball bowling seemed a tad disappointing. But for the most part was brilliant. He's just an amazing bowler.
Siddle 5 - started off pretty well and a bit unlucky in the first two Tests, but no excuses for what happened here. Realistically should have played his last Test. Still his Edgbaston knock was a match-winner.
Lyon 6 - match-winning spell at Edgbaston, but struggled somewhat afterwards. Seemed a bit listless and England played him generally rather well. And that fumble looks worse and worse as time goes on....
Hazlewood 8.5 - should have played the first Test, even though we won otherwise. Was tired at The Oval but before that showed exactly why he was seen as the new McGrath. This was what I expected of him for the last two years.
Labuschagne 7.5 - biggest find of the series for Australia. Came in when Australia were in some significant trouble in unusual circumstances, then played the key innings to save that Test. Overall made plenty of great contributions, though I would've loved a century. At last Australia have found a quality all-conditions batsman to go with Smith.
Harris 0 - urgh. Did nothing of significance throughout the series and made some crucial clangers in the field. Should be a long time before he comes back.
Starc 6 - mix of dodgy spells with great ones, but overall looked more solid than I've seen him for a while, and managed a useful slog for good measure too. Should have played over Siddle at The Oval.
Marsh 6.5 - bowled very well here, but he's in the side for his batting and he didn't do enough in that regard. He'll be top of the mind for any flat decks Australia come across but right now he's a bit of a tweener sort of player ala Curran.
Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
Bob Willis gave Jimmy Anderson 5/10 in his player ratings. Considering he only bowled 4 overs in a match he shouldn’t have played in and left England a bowler short I think it’s a tad generous. His impact was entirely negative.
It should have been either 0 or left blank though lack of anything worthwhile to judge him on.
It should have been either 0 or left blank though lack of anything worthwhile to judge him on.
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I like your ratings overall but this is generous to Paine and very harsh on Curran and Marsh imo. I'd be going about a 3 for Paine and 7s for Curran and Marsh.
EDIT: Actually even 7 for Marsh would be too low, should really be an 8. You take 7 wickets @ 12 in your only test, any runs you get are a bonus.
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Cabinet96
Hall of Fame Member
I kind of rated them lower because they only did it for one test (where they didn't get proper runs as a top 7 bat). Like I can't get on board to saying Marsh had as good an Ashes series as Archer and Hazlewood. But I agree it's kind of inconsistent given Overton got a 4.5 for a much less effective one off test. I guess I just limited the range of scores for the guys who barely played.
Bijed
International Regular
Always the case with Marsh tbh
GoodAreasShane
Cricketer Of The Year
Long overdue I know
SPD Smith 9.5
PJ Cummins 8.5
JR Hazlewood 8
M Labuschagne 8
JL Pattinson 6
MS Wade 6
TM Head 6
NM Lyon 5.5
UT Khawaja 4
PM Siddle 3
DA Warner 2
MS Harris 1
CT Bancroft 1
Can't give a rating to Starc or Marsh, one test isn't enough to make a solid judgement
SPD Smith 9.5
PJ Cummins 8.5
JR Hazlewood 8
M Labuschagne 8
JL Pattinson 6
MS Wade 6
TM Head 6
NM Lyon 5.5
UT Khawaja 4
PM Siddle 3
DA Warner 2
MS Harris 1
CT Bancroft 1
Can't give a rating to Starc or Marsh, one test isn't enough to make a solid judgement
GoodAreasShane
Cricketer Of The Year
Yeah true. It is Test cricket though, need to bring the absolute best of the best to cut it at that level. I was probably too harsh on Cummins though, he probably deserves 9 at least
Second Spitter
State Vice-Captain
Wow, your hard-on for Head is bigger than I thought.
GoodAreasShane
Cricketer Of The Year
He was clearly better than Wade in the 4 tests they played together, downhill skiing ton excepted. Didn't think it was reasonable to have him miles behind Wade, who got a massive ratings boost from the last test.
Was definitely too harsh on Cummins and probably Haze too. Headingley just still stings though
Was definitely too harsh on Cummins and probably Haze too. Headingley just still stings though