Ashes 2022 series player ratings: Every player analysed

England’s batting was a disaster this summer - but who was the worst of the lot? Our man on the ground in Hobart delivers a scathing assessment. Every Ashes player rated.

It was an Ashes series to saviour for Australia and one to forget for England.

A 4-0 whitewash with little to write home about to the motherland for the Poms was a banner event for a number of Australians who established themselves as Test cricket stars.

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But it wasn’t all roses for the home team, despite the incredible result.

Brett Stubbs rates every player.

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England discovered Steve Smith's kryptonite.

AUSTRALIA

DAVID WARNER 5

His dual 90s in the first innings of the first two Test went a long way to regaining the Ashes, but fell away badly by the end series, including a pair in Hobart as he succumbed to his old nemesis, Stuart Broad in his last knock. In an incredibly hard series for openers, Warner at least had some influence.

USMAN KHAWAJA 8

Returned to Test cricket with back to back centuries in Sydney, another feel-good story in a series full of them for the locals. Found opening in Hobart a much more difficult proposition, however, he has booked his ticket to Pakistan on the next Test tour.

MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE 6.5

Elevated to the world’s best Test batter but didn’t dominate in a series where the bowlers held sway. Still the second-highest run scorer for this Ashes and provided a bizarre highlight with his first innings dismissal in Hobart.

STEVE SMITH 3

Everyone was waiting for the trademark Steve Smith century – but it just never came. Was far more Clark Kent than Superman this series as England finally found his kryptonite. No hundreds and an average of 30 was poor by his lofty standards.

TRAVIS HEAD 9

In a sign of the times was player of the series while also testing positive for Covid. Set the tone with a scintillating century in the first Test from just 85 balls – the third fastest in an Ashes series. Topped that knock with another hundred in the final Test — after coming to the crease at 3-12 — to be the leading run scorer of the series.

It was hard to fault man of the series Travis Head. Picture: Getty Images

CAMERON GREEN 7.5

On the cusp of being something very special. Provided Australia with a genuine fourth quick, building pressure and taking vital top-order wickets. Continuing to improve with the bat at this level. When it all comes together, wow.

ALEX CAREY 5

Tim Paine’s replacement had his moments, such as his stellar start in Brisbane, and took a one-handed ripper in Hobart, but also missed a number of chances. His returns with the bat were below expectations and he was unable to produce the same number of runs as his predecessor in what was supposed to be Carey’s strength.

MITCH STARC 8.5

Made Shane Warne eat his words with his performance in this series. The only pace bowler to play in all five Tests bowled with accuracy and hostility. A wonderful summer after a poor T20 World Cup.

PAT CUMMINS 9

“Perfect Pat” was potentially only one delivery away from a 5-0 Ashes whitewash in his captaincy debut. Thrust into the job at the last minute and promptly took 5-38 on his first day in charge. Leading wicket-taker for the series, despite missing Adelaide due to a Covid scare.

NATHAN LYON 7

Such was Australia’s pace domination, Lyon played more of a supporting role than his usual turn as the main man. Did his job mostly, but failed to spin Australia to victory on the last day in Sydney — the only slight knock on his terrific career.

SCOTT BOLAND 9.5

Fairytale stuff. You couldn’t make it up. Brought in at 32 years of age to debut on his home deck as an MCG specialist, and then tore England apart. His spell of 6-7 in the Boxing Test is already the stuff of Ashes legend. Just the the second indigenous man to wear the baggy green.

MARCUS HARRIS 3

Played some handy knocks, none more so than his 76 in Melbourne — the top score for the match. But he failed to produce the defining century he needed, only passed 50 once, and was eventually dropped for the final Test. Had ample chances to lock in the opening position, but still remains very much a Test question mark.

JOSH HAZLEWOOD 5

The third of Australia’s big three wasn’t seen again after the first Test, his series ruined by a side strain. Such was the depth of Australia’s pace bowling stocks, his absence was barely noticed.

JHYE RICHARDSON 7

Struggled in the first innings of his only Test in Adelaide, going wicketless, but then bowled Australia to victory in the second with 5-42. Missed the next Test with shin soreness and then couldn’t get back into the team due to the emergence of Scott Boland.

MICHAEL NESER 3

Seemed to wait an eternity to get his Test debut and when he did, was the one bowler who didn’t quite grasp it. A wicket in each innings in Adelaide but didn’t play again due to some hamstring soreness and being overtaken by Scott Boland and Jhye Richardson.

There was plenty of good for the Aussies – and bad for the Poms.

ENGLAND

ZAK CRAWLEY 4

Stood out as clearly the best of England’s three openers used – but that’s not saying a lot. Showed some signs of real class, and his 77 in Sydney was something to build around.

RORY BURNS 1

Enjoyed Australia less than Novak Djokovic. Was bowled first ball of the series, spilled a vital catch in Australia’s first innings, got dropped after the second Test, only to be recalled in the fifth Test only to be run out for another duck. Just horrible.

DAWID MALAN 4

Faded faster than a reality TV star as the bowlers worked him out. In fairness, was usually batting in the first couple of overs, but his top score was just 25 across his last seven innings. England’s top order is full of questions with no answers.

JOE ROOT 5

Suffered blow after blow literally and metaphorically leaving even some Australian fans starting to feel for him by the end of the tour. Three visits down under and no centuries, he came as the world’s No.1 batter but could only average 32 this tour as he watched his side’s inept batting line up hand the urn to Australia 4-0.

BEN STOKES 3

England’s great talisman failed to be the matchwinner his side so desperately needed. Poor plans left Stokes injured while trying to play enforcer with the ball and two half centuries in Sydney couldn’t mask his average of just 24 with the bat. He only took four wickets at 72 with the ball and was passed by Mitch Starc in the all-rounder rankings.

OLLIE POPE 1

A young talent was shown up in Australia. Played three games and could only average 11 and offered little resistance — just like so many of his teammates.

SAM BILLINGS 4

Brought in from the BBL for Hobart simply because there was no one else to take the gloves. Brought energy, did a tidy job on debut behind the wicket and looked OK in the first innings before a soft second-dig dismissal.

CHRIS WOAKES 2

A lion in England is a lamb abroad. With Broad and Anderson missing from the first Test, Woakes was the senior bowler – but was axed after the second Test. Completely ineffectual with a Kookaburra in Australian conditions.

MARK WOOD 7.5

The series’ fastest bowler was also England’s best. A whole-hearted competitor who roughed up the Australians on the way to a career best 6-37 – the best figures by an Englishman in Australia since 2006. Fought fire with fire all series and had the Australians hopping.

Firebrand Mark Wood get England’s highest rating for the Ashes. Picture: AFP

STUART BROAD 7

The veteran gave it everything but wasn’t helped by bizarrely being left out in Brisbane. Still had the wood on his old bunny David Warner and bowled with great energy

OLLIE ROBINSON 6

His figures on the surface – 11 wickets at 25 – look OK, but he was saved because of his lack of fitness. Seemed to spend more time off the field than on it and his lack of conditioning will stop him being a match winner at Test level — even his own bowling coach called out his overall lack of fitness.

HASEEB HAMEED 1

Showed some promise in the first Test with 25 and 27 – but then became a walking wicket, failing to reach double figures in the next six innings before he, too, was axed. A major part of England’s dismal results.

JONNY BAIRSTOW 7

England’s sole century maker of the series with a dashing 113 in the first innings in Sydney and a brave 41 with a broken thumb in the second as the visitors held on for a draw. It was a long time coming – three years – and he also brought energy and positivity to a woeful batting line up.

JOS BUTTLER 4

Seemed to catch everything Marcus Harris edged and drop everything from every other batter. His heroic defensive efforts in Adelaide were undone by his shocking dismissal in Melbourne with a careless slog into the outfield. Missed the last Test with a broken finger but with an average of 15 and some shocking moments with the gloves, his position must be in jeopardy.

JACK LEACH 3

Played when he shouldn’t have in Brisbane, dropped when he shouldn’t have been in Adelaide and blasted by the Australians from the outset. Showed some fight at the SCG, but his selection demonstrated just how low England’s spinning stocks are.

JAMES ANDERSON 6

The swing king won’t be seen against Australia again and the Ashes is so much poorer for it. At age 39, took eight wickets at 23, including 4-33 in the only innings in Melbourne. Injured for the first Test and sore for the final Test, at full fitness, would have been deadly in both.