Player ratings: Who starred and who struggled for England in the 2017/18 Ashes series
IN a series with few highlights for England, we check out which players earned a pass mark and who really battled in our player ratings:
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IN a series with few highlights for England, we check out which players earned a pass mark and who really battled in our player ratings:
Alastair Cook
Match rating: 4.5
Series rating: 3.5
Stats: 376 @47
His phenomenally resilient 244 not out can’t mask his horror Ashes campaign. Without his MCG double ton, Cook averaged just 15.25 this series, putting England on the back foot every Test.
Mark Stoneman
Match rating: 2
Series rating: 5
Stats: 232 runs @25.77
Stoneman’s series is better than the stats suggest. He always looked comfortable before finding a way to get out, it’s a shame for England he’s not 10 years younger.
James Vince
Match rating: 4
Series rating: 5
Stats: 242 runs at 26.88
How different things could have been had he not been run out in Brisbane. Looks a viable number three option for England.
Joe Root
Match rating: 8
Series rating: 6.5
Stats: 378 runs @47.25
A gutsy effort to return to play in Sydney. Solid numbers from the skipper, but his inability to convert five half-centuries into triple-figures was disappointing for his class.
Dawid Malan
Match rating: 6.5
Series rating: 6.5
Stats: 383 runs @42.55
Unlike many of his teammates, he scored runs in the first three Tests under pressure. England’s silver lining from the series, also unfortunate he’s not 10 years younger.
Jonny Bairstow
Match rating: 6
Series rating: 7
Stats: 306 runs @34, 10 Cts, 1 St
Why oh why did England wait until Perth to promote him above Moeen Ali? Kept well, looked great with the bat, a strong series from the gloveman.
Moeen Ali
Match rating: 3
Series rating: 1
Stats: 179 runs @19.88, 5 wickets @115
Arguably the disappointment of the series. Didn’t come close to matching his spin counterpart on the flat decks, completely outclassed with the stick.
Tom Curran
Match rating: 4.5
Series rating: 3.5
Stats: 2 wickets @100
Too slow to do any damage on the flat Aussie pitches, surely more effective in the UK. Handy with the willow, worth persisting with in more favourable conditions.
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Stuart Broad
Match rating: 2
Series rating: 2.5
Stats: 11 wickets @47.72
You almost feel sorry for the Pommy villain… almost. Flat decks made bowling tough, but his Aussie opposites found ways to make them work. Lacked speed, a series to forget.
Mason Crane
Match rating: 1
Series rating: 1
Stats: 1 wicket @193
Plenty to work on for the young leggie, but certainly worth persisting with. Probably another year or two from being a regular in the Test set up.
James Anderson
Match rating: 7
Series rating: 6.5
Stats: 17 wickets @27.82
A draining series for a champion bowler who was running a one man show with the ball. Anderson struggled at times, but his bowling unit made life very tough for the veteran. Outstanding economically.
Chris Woakes
Match rating:
Series rating: 4
Stats: 10 wickets @49.50
Had a reasonable series but lacked aggression, additional speed and variety to succeed on Australian soil.
Craig Overton
Match rating: n/a
Series rating: 5.5
Stats: 6 wickets @37.66
Injury ended Overton’s series prematurely, but he showed enough in his first two Tests to suggest he’s worth persisting with.
Jake Ball
Match rating:
Series rating: 1
Stats: 1 wicket @115
His lone Test at the Gabba was a tough one, he probably quite enjoyed the Aussie summer after that.
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