The same eleven Australian players took England apart in each match of the Ashes series
*Chris Rogers 7/10*
If patience is a virtue, Rogers boasts a saintly disposition. Was still under the cosh when he arrived at Melbourne but finished as the leading run-scorer across the 10 Tests for the year. Relatively breezy hundreds in Melbourne and Sydney counterweighted mature, dour resistance elsewhere. Offered ceaseless energy in the field.
*David Warner 8/10 *
Led all batsmen in scoring during the home instalment and continues a determined rehabilitation of image and technique. The runs were still impetuous and flowed more freely in the second innings, where both his centuries were scored, but Warner produced on a consistent basis early when the urn was there for the taking.
*Shane Watson 6/10*
345 runs at an average of 38.33 is neither a disaster nor an incredible feat at home against a desperately struggling English attack. This time Watson was a barometer in a negative sense, embodying most of the doubts about Australia's top six, but filled his boots in the second innings at Perth. That and occasional breakthroughs with the ball were his highlights.
**Michael Clarke 7.5/10**
It was fitting that the ball ended up in Clarke's hands to seal the 5-0 whitewash. He marshalled his players with purpose, defended them in ways both popular and unpopular and scored two vital centuries in the opening two encounters, when heavy-lifting was still required and Australia's fate was not yet decided.
*Steve Smith 7/10*
327 runs at an average of 40.87 rather undersells the value of Smith's energy and output to Australia's success. Didn't get out of the blocks until Perth, where a first-innings 111 took Australia from 5-143 to 385 and set up a win. Likewise, his second century at Sydney turned the game on its head. Captaincy awaits.
*George Bailey 4/10*
Mainly benefitted from the reflected glory of a whitewash. Bailey did little to keep the doubters quiet or suggest he can parlay limited overs excellence into Test runs. 183 at 26.14 and only one half-century underlined how tough the going might be if he hangs in there until South Africa. Unfortunately there is no statistical column for his contribution to team morale.
*Brad Haddin 9/10*
What a completely different series this would have been without Haddin's runs, which were crushingly inevitable by series' end and the stuff of English nightmares. Dependable with the gloves, his support as Clarke's deputy only amplified the contrasting lot of the two skippers. 407 first-innings runs buckled England at moments they thought they were in it.
*Peter Siddle 7/10*
As usual, the Victorian did the yeoman's work without fanfare or complaint. 16 wickets at 24.12 still saw him put all English bowlers bar Broad in the shade and his unstinting pressure often precipitated total collapse for England. For instance, Pietersen and Bell fell three times each to the nagging paceman. But he was curiously inept with the bat in this series.
*Mitchell Johnson 9.5/10*
His was an even greater reinvention than Warne and Haddin combined. Johnson went from laughing stock to wrecking ball and his 37 wickets cost only 13.97 apiece. Blows to head, body or finger were just as frequent and the level of intimidation he imposed was central to England's batting crisis. An almost faultless performance.
*Ryan Harris 8/10*
Took 22 wickets at an average of 19 and so often acted as the deceptively painful jab to Johnson's wild left hook. Harris added another unlikely string to his bow — resilience – as well as doing some late-order biffing to rub salt into English wounds. "I'll do anything for this team and this feeling," he concluded after the Sydney win. He would, too.
*Nathan Lyon 7/10*
Freed up by the havoc being wrought by his fast-bowling colleagues, Lyon shone with 19 wickets at and average of 29.36, including his hundredth Test victim at Melbourne. Delivered at key moments, nailed down his position and symbolically gathered his teammates together for a victory song on the middle of the SCG pitch. His cult is gently growing. Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 day ago.
*Chris Rogers 7/10*
If patience is a virtue, Rogers boasts a saintly disposition. Was still under the cosh when he arrived at Melbourne but finished as the leading run-scorer across the 10 Tests for the year. Relatively breezy hundreds in Melbourne and Sydney counterweighted mature, dour resistance elsewhere. Offered ceaseless energy in the field.
*David Warner 8/10 *
Led all batsmen in scoring during the home instalment and continues a determined rehabilitation of image and technique. The runs were still impetuous and flowed more freely in the second innings, where both his centuries were scored, but Warner produced on a consistent basis early when the urn was there for the taking.
*Shane Watson 6/10*
345 runs at an average of 38.33 is neither a disaster nor an incredible feat at home against a desperately struggling English attack. This time Watson was a barometer in a negative sense, embodying most of the doubts about Australia's top six, but filled his boots in the second innings at Perth. That and occasional breakthroughs with the ball were his highlights.
**Michael Clarke 7.5/10**
It was fitting that the ball ended up in Clarke's hands to seal the 5-0 whitewash. He marshalled his players with purpose, defended them in ways both popular and unpopular and scored two vital centuries in the opening two encounters, when heavy-lifting was still required and Australia's fate was not yet decided.
*Steve Smith 7/10*
327 runs at an average of 40.87 rather undersells the value of Smith's energy and output to Australia's success. Didn't get out of the blocks until Perth, where a first-innings 111 took Australia from 5-143 to 385 and set up a win. Likewise, his second century at Sydney turned the game on its head. Captaincy awaits.
*George Bailey 4/10*
Mainly benefitted from the reflected glory of a whitewash. Bailey did little to keep the doubters quiet or suggest he can parlay limited overs excellence into Test runs. 183 at 26.14 and only one half-century underlined how tough the going might be if he hangs in there until South Africa. Unfortunately there is no statistical column for his contribution to team morale.
*Brad Haddin 9/10*
What a completely different series this would have been without Haddin's runs, which were crushingly inevitable by series' end and the stuff of English nightmares. Dependable with the gloves, his support as Clarke's deputy only amplified the contrasting lot of the two skippers. 407 first-innings runs buckled England at moments they thought they were in it.
*Peter Siddle 7/10*
As usual, the Victorian did the yeoman's work without fanfare or complaint. 16 wickets at 24.12 still saw him put all English bowlers bar Broad in the shade and his unstinting pressure often precipitated total collapse for England. For instance, Pietersen and Bell fell three times each to the nagging paceman. But he was curiously inept with the bat in this series.
*Mitchell Johnson 9.5/10*
His was an even greater reinvention than Warne and Haddin combined. Johnson went from laughing stock to wrecking ball and his 37 wickets cost only 13.97 apiece. Blows to head, body or finger were just as frequent and the level of intimidation he imposed was central to England's batting crisis. An almost faultless performance.
*Ryan Harris 8/10*
Took 22 wickets at an average of 19 and so often acted as the deceptively painful jab to Johnson's wild left hook. Harris added another unlikely string to his bow — resilience – as well as doing some late-order biffing to rub salt into English wounds. "I'll do anything for this team and this feeling," he concluded after the Sydney win. He would, too.
*Nathan Lyon 7/10*
Freed up by the havoc being wrought by his fast-bowling colleagues, Lyon shone with 19 wickets at and average of 29.36, including his hundredth Test victim at Melbourne. Delivered at key moments, nailed down his position and symbolically gathered his teammates together for a victory song on the middle of the SCG pitch. His cult is gently growing. Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 day ago.