England may have won The Ashes 2015 3-2, but it was far from a convincing victory. The series was a bizarre one: though it was well-contested, the Tests was terribly one-sided, with neither side showing any fight at all once under the hammer. None of England’s batsmen barring Joe Root showed much application, though the bowling made up for their lack of fight. Shiamak Unwalla rates the performance of England on a scorecard from 1 to 10, with 1 being abysmal and 10 being outstanding. NOTE: Players arranged in descending order of score. READ: England prove why they cannot be termed deserving winners
1. Stuart Broad, 9/10: Broad managed useful runs down the order, though his batting has been far from what it used to be ever since getting hit in the face by a delivery from Varun Aaron during India’s tour of England in 2014. With ball, however, he was unstoppable. His mind-numbing spell of 8 for 15 at Trent Bridge paved the way for England’s monumental victory, which earns him a 9. With 21 wickets from five Tests at 20.90, Broad was easily the best bowler on either side. READ: Stuart Broad shows a rare glimpse of history in Ashes 2015 4th Test at Trent Bridge
2. Joe Root, 8/10: It was Root’s ton in the opening Test at Cardiff that set up the win for England, and in many ways the rest of the series; he was dropped on nought and went on to compile a superb century. With 460 runs from five Tests at 57.50 he was comfortably the best English batsman of the series. READ: Joe Root: The heart of England’s resurgence in Ashes 2015
3. Steven Finn, 7.5/10: Finn did a commendable job as the third seamer, taking 12 wickets in three Tests at 22.50. His spell of 6 for 79 at Edgbaston in the second innings ensured England did not miss the injured James Anderson. READ: Steven Finn’s dream spell spells Australia’s doom in Ashes 2015 3rd Test
4. Moeen Ali, 7.5/10: There were sceptics who wondered whether Moeen deserved to play as lead spinner, but as he did against India in 2014, Moeen answered those critics in fine style. With 12 wickets in the series at 45.50, Moeen emerged as the joint second-highest wicket-taker for England. He was expensive, but frequently took top-order wickets. His worth at No. 8 cannot be understated either: he was England’s third-highest run-scorer as well, with 293 runs at 36.62 with two fifties. READ: The Moeen Ali conundrum
5. James Anderson, 7/10: Much was expected of Anderson at Lord’s, but he failed to take a wicket in the Test as Australia blasted past England. However, he came back with a resounding six-for at Edgbaston to help England take the lead. It was a mixed bag from England’s strike bowler, but he missed out on the last two Tests with an injury. His series haul of 10 wickets in three Tests at 27.50 could have been better. READ: James Anderson’s side strain reminiscent of Glenn McGrath’s twisted ankle in Ashes 2005
6. Ben Stokes, 7/10: Stokes will feel that he could have done more for England’s cause, especially with the bat. Having been promoted to No. 6, Stokes could only score 201 at 25.12 with two fifties, but also three ducks. Stokes was good with the ball though; he took 11 wickets at 33.45. His spell of 6 for 36 at Trent Bridge ensured Australia found no respite. READ: Ben Stokes proves his bowling credentials with top-class five-wicket haul
7. Alastair Cook, 6.5/10: England’s captain led the side well, but his batting was far from outstanding. He ended as England’s second-best batsman, but 330 runs at 36.66 was hardly a praiseworthy effort. It did not help that his gritty 96 at Lord’s and 85 at The Oval both came in lost causes.
8. Mark Wood, 6/10: Had Wood bowled as well as he batted, he might have got more than just 6.5. He showed laudable application with bat low down the order, averaging 25.75 with the bat. His bowling was not quite as good: an average of 39.10 with 10 wickets in four Tests was disappointing. READ: The Ashes 2015: Where was the intensity at Cardiff?
9. Ian Bell, 5/10: There were shades of the old Bell, but sadly for England it led to no fruition. With a mere 215 despite three half-centuries, Bell was pedestrian at best. He had a couple of good innings but failed when it mattered most. READ: Ian Bell’s dismissals on 1 — and other similar records
10. Jonny Bairstow, 4/10: With just 118 runs in three Tests at 29.50, Bairstow was unable to replicate his outstanding county form. He managed one good knock of 74 but did little to earn him a permanent spot in the team.
11. Gary Ballance, 2/10: Despite starting with a gritty 61 in the first innings at Cardiff, Ballance looked so suspect that he ended with less than 100 from four innings. He was replaced with Bairstow after the second Test.
12. Jos Buttler, 2/10: Buttler was expected to be one of England’s trump cards lower down the order but could only manage 122 runs at 15.25. It was a disappointing series from a man who has done well for England in recent times.
13. Adam Lyth, 1/10: With just 115 runs in nine innings at 12.77 opening batting, Lyth was a resounding failure in the series. He will be lucky to get another Test as England’s opening woes continue to haunt them. READ: Adam Lyth must not be surprised if dropped after Ashes 2015
The likes of Adil Rasheed, Liam Plunkett, and Mark Footitt were in the squad but did not play and therefore have not been rated.
(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a self-confessed Sci-Fi geek who loves cricket more than cricketers. His Twitter handle is @ShiamakUnwalla)
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