The Ashes, Second Test – Player Ratings
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An enthralling Second Ashes Test match, the first ever Ashes Day/Night game, is in the books and Australia lead the series 2-0 after a 120 run victory at the Adelaide Oval.
The game had a bit of everything; action, questionable captaincy and pretty average umpiring to name just a few, and despite England battling back hard, they’d put themselves behind the eight ball with poor batting and bowling displays in the first innings and were ultimately unable to get out of the hole which they had dug for themselves.
Australia now need just one win from the remaining three matches to regain the Ashes.
Here’s how the players rated in the game:
Alastair Cook - 3
Got 37 in the first innings and 16 in the second but was dismissed twice by Nathan Lyon, who he played less-than-convincingly. The ex-skipper is not in good form at all.
Mark Stoneman - 4
Scores of 18 and 36 show that Stoneman got in but he wasn’t able to go on and get a big score.
James Vince - 2
Nicked off twice, something he does far too often. He got a decent ball in the first innings but his dismissal in the second was a terrible way to get out during a run chase.
Joe Root - 6
Will wish he had batted first when he won the toss! His batting performance on Day Four gave England a sniff of a famous win but he was out early on Day Five to end all hope.
Dawid Malan - 5
Actually looked in pretty good order in both innings, showing the mental toughness to battle through some touch patches. He got two pretty decent balls from Cummins to get out twice.
Moeen Ali - 2
Did not bowl well enough at all in Australia’s first innings and failed to make up for it with the bat, getting out twice to Lyon as he misjudged attacking shots after getting bogged down, although it did take an excellent catch to remove him in the first innings.
Jonny Bairstow - 5
Was out to an excellent catch from Starc in the first innings and was left stranded with the tail in the second. Should be batting at six, not seven.
Chris Woakes - 7
His bowling in the first innings lacked consistency, but he found it in the second, taking four wickets.
Batted very well to reach 36 in the first innings after a batting collapse but was out very early on Day Five.
Craig Overton - 8
Bowled pretty well in the first innings and got Steve Smith as his first Test wicket.
Put the top order to shame in England’s first batting innings, scoring 41* with relative ease before taking a wicket in his only over as he wrapped up the Australian second innings.
Stuart Broad - 5
Broad has gotten into a habit of bowling pretty well without taking any wickets, which is a bit of a worry, although he did get Handscomb and Starc in the first innings.
James Anderson - 7
Didn’t bowl particularly well in the first innings after England won the toss but was magnificent in he second, picking up his first five-wicket haul in Australia.
David Warner - 6
Got to 47 in the first innings but never looked completely comfortable before nicking off to Woakes, who also got him cheaply in the second.
Cameron Bancroft - 2
Was run out for ten in the first innings before going early to Jimmy Anderson in the second.
Usman Khawaja - 7
Scored a nice half century in the first innings before playing a bit of a loose shot. Got to 20 in very difficult conditions in the second before Anderson got him LBW.
Steve Smith - 5
Bowled for 40 by Craig Overton first up and was LBW to Woakes cheaply in the second innings. Didn’t look comfortable against a moving ball.
Captaincy wise, his team won so ends justify means but his use of reviews in the second innings was pretty poor, as was his decision not to enforce the follow on.
Peter Handscomb - 3
His technique looks to have been found out by England, who are able to bog him down and remove him with full balls. Wouldn’t be surprised if he misses out in Perth.
Shaun Marsh - 10
Scored a wonderful 126* in a the first innings, battling hard at first before expanding his game and playing some wonderful shots. Was out cheaply in the second.
Tim Paine - 7
Played well in the first innings to reach 57 but was out twice to the short ball, which will be a bit of a concern. Kept wicket really well.
Mitchell Starc - 9
Took eight wickets in the game, including a five-for in the second to help win the game for his country:
With the bat, he’s a better player than slogger he looks like in this game, he should trust his game more rather than play so loosely.
Pat Cummins - 9
Only took three wickets in the match but looked the best of the Australian quick bowlers at times, bowling with excellent pace and aggression.
Looked good with the bat too, scoring 44 and and 11*.
Nathan Lyon - 10
Showed why he’s taken more Test wickets in 2017 than any other bowler in the world.
Took 4/60 first up to tear through England’s lower order and backed it up with 2/45 in the second.
He’s got England on toast at the minute; he’s taking plenty of wickets and they can’t score off him either.
Josh Hazlewood - 7
Didn’t bowl particularly well in the first innings but was good in the second.
His spell early in Day Five, where he removed Woakes and Root quickly, was like a dagger to England.