Since England were whitewashed in Australia four years ago, they have relied heavily upon Alastair Cook, Joe Root, James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Those same four players have let them down badly this current Ashes series.
With superstar all-rounder Ben Stokes unavailable due to a police investigation, it was imperative Cook and Root found a way to score runs, and Anderson and Broad regularly sliced through the Australian batting line-up.
It always seemed unlikely England could win this series, but they needed to at least be competitive, as Australia have been in each of their last four losing series in the UK.
In 2015 in England, Australia won two Tests, both by enormous margins – 405 runs, and an innings and 46 runs. Two years previous to that, rain rescued England from precarious positions in the third and fifth Tests, allowing them to earn draws, and the first Test went to the wire, with England winning by 14 runs.
The 2009 and 2005 Ashes series both were closely fought, with England emerging 2-1 winners each time. Never in the modern era have Australia been feeble across a whole Ashes series in the way England were during their 5-0 hammerings in 2013-14 and 2006-07. England now are at risk of producing a similarly weak-willed series performance, with Australia on the cusp of their third consecutive easy win in this Ashes.
There has been heavy criticism directed towards England’s second-tier players such as James Vince, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes, each of whom has laboured in this series. The majority of the blame, however, should be apportioned to Root, Cook, Anderson and Broad, England’s four most accomplished cricketers.
This series was billed in some quarters as the battle between Root and Australian skipper Steve Smith, who were the second and first ranked Test batsmen in the world respectively leading into this Ashes. Smith has loomed over this series like a cricketing colossus, piling up 426 runs at 142, including two Test-turning tons. Root, meanwhile, has been a ghost.
(Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)
In all Test matches, but particularly those played away from home, scoring first innings runs is the key. As the leader of a shaky batting line-up, Root had to make a statement in the first innings of each Test but instead has flopped, making first innings scores of 15, 9 and 20. Adding to his ignominy is the fact he’s been outscored by rookies Dawid Malan, Mark Stoneman and Vince, all of whom started this series with their positions very much in doubt.
Root, of course, hasn’t been helped by the unmitigated failure of former skipper Cook. So poor has Cook been in Ashes Tests for so long now that it’s hard to remember just how he managed to dominate in Australia seven years ago.
Setting aside that one extraordinary summer, Cook has averaged just 26 with the bat across his other six Ashes series. While he’s struggled again and again versus Australia, never before has he looked as bereft of answers as he does right now.
Australia’s openers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood haven’t even used the new ball as well as in other series, yet Cook has floundered. With just 83 runs at 14, this is shaping up to be the worst series of his career. There is already talk in the English media that Cook’s storied career could be drawing to a close.
There’s also doubt about the futures of Anderson and Broad. That is no great surprise when it comes to Anderson considering that he is 35 years old. But Broad is only 31 and England would have hoped he would be around for years to come to help ease the transition once Anderson retires.
Instead, there is speculation about his longevity, too.
Statistically, Broad has had the worst year of his career since 2008, back when he was a 22-year-old greenhorn. In fact, his strike rate of 82 this year is easily the worst of his career, a shocking figure which highlights how badly he is struggling for penetration.
From ten Tests this year, Broad has taken just 25 wickets at an average of 40, with his rate of 2.5 wickets per match also his worst-ever return. It is not as though Broad has lost rhythm and is spraying the ball across the pitch. His accuracy is still there, he just lacks the cutting edge he possessed as a younger man.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
While Broad may well rebound from this slump, right now his decline reminds me of what happened to Australian quick Peter Siddle about four years ago. Siddle, to this day, remains a persistent and precise seamer, capable of tying down world-class batsmen. He just has limited penetration.
This describes Broad at the moment – a whole-hearted and frugal bowler but one who rarely looks like making an impact on a match.
His new ball partner Anderson has had no such problems in 2017, which has been, statistically, the best of his career, with 51 wickets at an average of 17. Anderson’s stats in this Ashes are impressive, too – 12 wickets at an average of 26.
To the casual observer, it would appear as if Anderson has had a great series. The reality is that he has been a big disappointment, failing to make an impact when required, only to take wickets when it has barely mattered.
In the first Test, the most important of the series, Anderson took just two wickets.
Then in Adelaide, he took 1-74 as Australia cruised to a 215-run first-innings lead. Once England had all but lost that Test, Anderson belatedly produced a masterful display in the second innings. That five-wicket haul was not dissimilar to scoring a ton in a dead rubber – it looks good but is of minimal value in the grand scheme of things. When the Adelaide Test was there to be won, Anderson went missing. Once the horse had bolted, he made a pretty but largely inconsequential contribution.
So it has been again for Anderson at Perth, where he went wicketless as Smith and Mitch Marsh led Australia to 4-549, batting England out of the Test. Anderson then grabbed four late wickets, an effort which achieved little but to pad his stats.
While his series figures look nice, Anderson has not once stood up when it really counted, and so it is arguable he has been just as big of a let down as any of Root, Cook or Broad. Of course, such a comparison is pointless. All that matters is that, in this series, these four giants of English cricket have played like pygmies.
Richard Islip
Roar Rookie
This nonsense was obvious 4 years ago, in Australia....the so called " leaders" with the Poms. Captain Cook? A first class disaster. Zero inspiration with the bat.....no leading from the front there....and he appeared to be fast asleep in his own vapid world when his side was bowling. Again, absolutely no fire breathing geeing up whatsoever...something that was needed the entire series. That Kevin Pietersen was so disengaged....put that one right at the door of Cook. Pietersen could have had a huge impact, but as he was not cut from the same cloth as Cook Old Chap, Cook again showed a total absence of man management. And, BY GOLLY GUM, despite every single fact showing that Cook had utterly failed as a leader in tough times....." I believe I am the right man to be captain"....what utter tosh, what utter vapid tosh. Cook is uttering the same spoiled, befuddled view now, of his ever weakening batting......apparently he has not thought about thinking about stepping aside. Of course not. Plus, now as a very senior player in the side...all this experience you know....he appears to offer, as usual zero on the field. Useless, to the newer guys, useless. A hindrance in fact, a drain on positive energy. We hear stories of the way Anderson and Broad behave to the new guys....big deal prefects dealing with their fags. Certainly looks like it on the field. Absolutely no encouragement from these vastly experienced players. Too arrogant, too well paid, untouchables. A drain, an utter drain, on team spirit. And Root has achieved minus nothing as captain. The Poms have nothing to lose, and Broad and Anderson and Cook should 'move out now, and let some mustard keen players at least show some spirit. And no, these players do not need to go out " on their own terms" as suggested by Ponting...they already are doing things on their own terms. There are cricket tests left to be won, to be contested...why the heck put self interest ahead of this? But, as they are untouchables, and know it, Old Boy, remain they will
Bakkies
Guest
You have to consider that Walsh finished his career playing in very poor Windies side.
Bakkies
Guest
Apologies to Crane he went for 7.66 which is still too expensive. It was Leach who picked up MIck Lewis type figures and went for 10.57 an over.
Bakkies
Guest
'It is beyond belief that Rashid was overlooked for Mason Crane.' Crane went at 10.5 an over against a Kid's XI in his most recent tour match. Truly bizarre that certain people thought he was a chance for this test. You would have to have rocks in your head to play two spinners in Perth.
Bakkies
Guest
Out of form batsmen would take his average of 49 for the series so far. Khawaja needs a big score.
Bakkies
Guest
Thankfully there is no test scheduled in Durham on the next Ashes tour. Headingley has a test which is a good opportunity for the Aussie bowlers.
Bakkies
Guest
They usually play well in India, last time they went they got hammered on heavily doctored wickets. It was farcical how far those balls were turning and they were hardly facing Harbhajan.
Matth
Guest
Toby Roland-Jones has had an excellent first few tests, but then got injured just before this series. He might be one to watch. And Woakes is Jimmy-lite, in that he is a tiger at home and a lamb away.
Matth
Guest
Not true at all. Watto also had the attempted glide to third man that he either missed or hit straight to gully. I miss Watto.
Richard Hunter
Guest
if they drop Alistar cook, joe root, stuart noard, James Anderson and Moeen Ali we know that england does not care about this tour
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I reckon Bancroft is likely to make the position his own, Renshaw will be back playing for Queensland for a few years yet. 2019 team has every chance of being pretty close to unchanged from the current one. That's only 18 months away, and I reckon Paine and Shaun Marsh both have at least 2 years in them. Whiteman has a similar injury to the one that took Paine years to come back from. I really hope it doesn't go the same way for Whiteman, but it could be a fairly long road back, and Paine looks to be doing enough to have a good run at the job. Injuries notwithstanding, I wouldn't be surprised if the XI from the WACA test was the same XI to play the first Ashes test in 2019.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Although, I think in some ways the Aussie bowlers have gone after that too much. Been through some periods where they've been going bouncer, bouncer, bouncer and I'm just waiting for the pitched up ball but it never comes.
El Loco
Roar Rookie
"Brevity is not a strong point of yours Chris." Indeed, more than a few in the TL;DR category.
danno
Guest
2019 oz team for England ( taking age into consideration not just current form ). Renshaw, Warner, Usman K, Smith, Maxwell, M Marsh, Whiteman, Cummins, Starc, Hazelwood, Lyon, Sayers (Sayers in for Lyon if the conditions demand.) Usman K needs to start making 100s but he has the talent. If he doesn't Bancroft to open with renshaw & Warner at 3. Bird on the plane.
Fionn
Guest
'Take the Saffers out of it' If you take out Federer's French Open victory in 2009 he hasn't won all four Grand Slams.
Col in paradise
Guest
Now we have won the Ashes I reckon they should drop Warner as he is out of form, just to give him a shake and a breather at the same time.....
Simoc
Guest
I have seen Root, Anderson & I think Broad also get hit on the helmet by bouncers. They have stopped watching the ball. At test level that is hopeless. Root and Cook have been exposed this series and Broad totally negative. Broad needs a break, Root has been a dismal flop and Ali hasn't done enough. Luckily for them the new boys have often kept them in the contest.
Bakkies
Guest
Well there is a period of regeneration that they are going have to face with having more than a few players in their mid 30s. De Villiers has missed series due to injury and sabbatical. The sabbatical stuff is nonsense. You get to a certain point where you are going to have to drop out of a certain format. He has to make a decision on whether to continue with playing test Cricket. I know in SA there is a hang over with all the short comings with the ODI side and he would like to win a World Cup.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Chris, I 100% agree that Walsh wouldn't be in the top five Windies quicks of all time. As you say, he wasn't even the best of his generation, with Ambrose being better. But that simply makes the point about Anderson; simple weight of wickets does not make you a great. Your last point sums up why many share this opinion and the home and away averages prove it - Walsh gave 100% and found a way all around the world. Anderson either cashes in while it's in his favour or just tunes out.
Nick
Roar Guru
Spectacular yes. Magic? No. Ball of the century? No. Ball of the summer? No. He's bowled much better, and skillful balls already this summer.