Australia player ratings for the Ashes series, lost 3-1 to England.
RICKY PONTING (captain)
The worst of times. Ponting’s struggles with the bat were a major reason for Australia’s defeat, preventing the top order from gaining any kind of traction and destabilising the batsmen beneath him. Broke a finger during the Perth victory that he aggravated as England retained the Ashes in Melbourne and missed Sydney. It is not certain he will be back as captain. Rating: 3/10
MICHAEL CLARKE (captain in Sydney)
Left his batting form in the No.5 spot after being promoted mid-last year, and has now quit Twenty20 cricket in order to find it again. Once considered Australia’s tightest player, Clarke was anything but against England’s discipline. Led with enthusiasm in Sydney but was no more successful than Ponting had been. Rating: 3/10
SIMON KATICH
An Achilles injury in Adelaide was Australia’s most grievous injury loss for the series. Was not at his best with the bat in the first two Tests but his partnership with Shane Watson was one of the team’s few genuine strengths. Katich’s stodgy batting is desperately needed but his advancing years count against his return. Rating: 4/10
PHIL HUGHES
Is this man a Test match opener? Six innings without a half century say no, but there were signs that Hughes was gradually tightening his homespun technique. A run out at the hands of Watson at the MCG cut him off in the prime of his innings, while his first-day scrap in Sydney was promising. Should spend every waking minute with batting coach Justin Langer. Rating: 4/10
SHANE WATSON
One of Australia’s three decent contributors with the bat, Watson will remember the series more for his wastefulness than his consistency. Never able to make a century, and only his second innings 95 in Perth was match-shaping. Was not a factor with the ball, and his running between the wickets was a constant aid to England’s pursuit of an early wicket. Rating: 6/10
USMAN KHAWAJA
Plenty of promise on debut but scores of 37 and 21 cannot be regarded as anything other than wasted starts. Should be persevered with at No.3 regardless of Ponting’s future. Rating: 5/10
MIKE HUSSEY
The only Australian other than perhaps Ryan Harris to significantly enhance his reputation across the series. How bizarre that Hussey was one poor Sheffield Shield innings away from being dropped. The patience learned in his early days as an opening batsman allowed Hussey to frustrate England’s bowlers, and his duels with Graeme Swann were fascinating. A quiet finish to the series was no surprise given his earlier exertions, but he can now go on playing for as long as he wants to. Rating: 8/10
MARCUS NORTH
Pathologically inconsistent, North was probably due for a good score when he was dropped for his home Test in Perth. Never assured of his place in the team, North’s sacking was fair enough, yet by series end it felt as though a poor team was even poorer without him. Rating: 3/10
STEVE SMITH
Smith’s technique can look almost comically bad at times, as it did whenever he was tested by the moving ball early in his innings. But his heart was on display as he fought for survival in each visit to the crease, and he concluded the series with a more sure-footed half century at his SCG home as England completed their victory. His bowling was less encouraging, as he lacked the spin to beat quality batsmen. Rating: 5/10
BRAD HADDIN
Hussey’s accomplice in an epic partnership at the Gabba, Haddin fought as hard with the bat as anyone, his impudent strokeplay piercing the field more regularly than most. But his ‘keeping was overshadowed by his opposite number Matt Prior, and a succession of firm-footed drives gave the England slips cordon plenty of chances. His understudy Tim Paine lurks in the background. Rating: 6/10
MITCHELL JOHNSON
A world-beater in one spell, a joke in too many others, Johnson continued to forge his increasingly bewildering path through Test cricket. A gentle soul who needs the ball swinging, he fought his slingy bowling action every inch of the way, briefly touching perfection in Perth when his first innings 6-38 won the match for Australia. Cannot be relied upon to lead the attack. Rating: 4/10
RYAN HARRIS
The only Australian bowler to collect his wickets at an average of under 30, Harris proved himself a Test cricketer of considerable value before an ankle stress fracture cut him down. Loved in the team for his uncomplicated attitude and dedication to improvement, and welcome to return to the side in his own time despite his 31 years. Rating: 7/10
PETER SIDDLE
A hat-trick in Brisbane, a six-for in Melbourne and a lot of bluff and bluster in between. Siddle’s body held up well to the demands of an Ashes series thanks to an off-season of AFL training, but his wickets arrived in all too rare bursts. Slowly working his way up the Australian batting order. Rating: 5/10
XAVIER DOHERTY
Ponting’s hunch to choose Doherty ahead of Nathan Hauritz looked good on day one of the series, when he plucked two cheap wickets, but foolhardy after when he only managed one more. Flat, regimented and limited, Doherty proved himself to be exactly what he had always seemed – a handy one-day bowler out of his depth in Test cricket. Rating: 2/10
BEN HILFENHAUS
Unlucky or just unthreatening? Hilfenhaus beat the bat plenty of times both in this series and the India Tests that preceded it, but wickets were invariably lacking. In Perth his pressure created opportunities at the other end, but elsewhere he did not offer much in the way of penetration or economy. Must look at using the crease and bowling a fuller length if he is to do much more at the top level. Rating: 3/10
MICHAEL BEER
Figures of 1-112 in his maiden Test innings, having carried the drinks for two matches prior, were misleading for he bowled better than that, and should have dismissed Alastair Cook. That Beer didn’t was due to to a sloppy no-ball, a reminder he has played far more club cricket than anything else. A likely squad member for the Sri Lanka tour. Rating: 4/10
DOUG BOLLINGER
Australia’s leading paceman at the start of summer, by the end Bollinger was better-known for the Vodafone commercials. What happened to Bollinger between his side strain in India and the first Test in Brisbane will remain a source of contention for years to come. By the time he did get to bowl for Australia, his body was out of shape and his pace was fleeting, and he was not tried again. Rating: 2/10
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.
With Rajasthan needing 25 off 17, both batsmen ended up at the same end but the bowler dropped the throw from his teammate -…
A six-laden, 27-ball 84 from Jake Fraser-McGurk to continue his outrageous debut IPL!
Johnny Bairstow has hit his way back into form with a 45-ball century as he steered his side to a record-breaking win, easily chasing…
It seems franchise cricket has forgotten about the great battle between bat and ball. In fact, this season in the IPL there is no battle at all.
The mammoth rise of Jake Fraser-McGurk - his enormous potential and the destructive shot-making that he possesses makes him a very tempting option.
Xavier Bartlett has been permission to extend his cricketing education with a spell of T20s in England, playing in the Blast competition for Kent…
