Poms’ four fails in death of ‘Bazball’; polarising stars continue to tease — Third Test Player Ratings

The death of the England enigma that is ‘Bazball’ has become official in brutal fashion, after losing to Australia by 82 runs at the Adelaide Oval in a match that once again sees them down 3-nil on foreign soil.

The visitors had less players fail with their final rating for the match in comparison to Brisbane, but their honourable fourth innings efforts still wasn’t enough to prevent a series loss inside just 11 days.

Foxsports.com.au rates every English player from the third Ashes Test against Australia in Adelaide.

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ZAK CRAWLEY — 8

9 and 85

Succumbed to a Pat Cummins seed in the first innings, which while frustrating for English fans, was more a reflection of the Australian captain’s excellence, and not Crawley’s batting. It was his second knock though that gives pundits more to speak about, scoring a mature 85 before getting stumped. Of his top 15 scores in Test cricket, this one was his second-slowest, which proved he can play more than just one way — even if he wasn’t quite willing to admit a change in his style post-play on day four. Another strong match for England’s opener, who after a horrid start to the series, has come good.

BEN DUCKETT — 2

29 and 4

After being outdone by good bowling for most of the first two tests, Duckett’s series turned from ‘unlucky’ to under duress in the blink of an eye. He made yet another start in the first innings, though outside of a couple beautiful boundaries, looked scratchy with a handful of plays and misses outside off stump. Nathan Lyon’s ball to dismiss him was a good one, but not unplayable. It left him with a notable weight on his shoulders in the second innings, and it fell on him like an anvil — lasting just two balls as a horror, nothing shot on a length outside off ended his match on the brink of lunch on day four.

OLLIE POPE — 2

3 and 17

The 27-year-old looks highly likely to ‘Bazball’s’ first batting victim on Australian shores, after a mindless dismissal on day two that sent English media into delirium. His chip to mid-wicket off the bowling of Nathan Lyon was more or less inexcusable, so friendly were the conditions on day two for batting. Somehow though, his second innings dismissal may have been an even tougher pill to swallow, with a Marnus Labuschagne screamer at second slip ending his match in somewhat cruel fashion. Jacob Bethell now looms large as his replacement at first drop for Boxing Day, but you have to feel for the 27-year-old who has moulded his game entirely around ‘Bazball’ these last few years, only for it to now threaten his spot in the team.

JOE ROOT — 3

19 and 39, DNB and 0/32

An incredibly frustrating Test at the crease for England’s former captain, who was caught behind off the bowling of Pat Cummins both innings. Neither ball was anything to sneeze at, but equally, each could have been left on a fourth or fifth-stump line. Looked particularly comfortable at the crease in the second innings, but unfortunately he missed out on a plethora of runs on a flat pitch with their Ashes hopes hanging by a thread.

HARRY BROOK — 5

45 and 30

The 26-year-old star arguably had his best innings yet this tour on day two, despite only making it to 45. Brook found a level of composure that complemented his usual attacking style brilliantly before nicking off to a good Cam Green length ball. Once again on day four, the livewire batted sensibly for the first 30 runs of his innings, before getting bowled after an attempted reverse sweep. The optics of his shot were horrible, but leading up to the dismissal, it had acted as a genuine scoring shot that had even higher merit with the fields that were set. Gets a pass mark by the barest of margins for showing that he’s more than just a one-trick pony who only knows one way — something we haven’t seen much of before.

BEN STOKES — 7

83 and 5, 0/53 and 1/26

A whirlwind Test match for the England skipper, who bowled well without luck personally after losing the toss on day one. His first hit out with the bat was once again admirable, though polarisingly, was the epitome of an ‘anti-Bazball’ innings; much to the displeasure of some. Nonetheless, he found a way to make runs when others couldn’t before once again falling victim to Mitchell Starc. His bizarre absence at the bowling crease on day three with the series on the line was later revealed to be a result of exhaustion, before beginning the penultimate day’s play with ball-in-hand. A Nathan Lyon jaffer undid him amid his side’s day four collapse in the final session.

JAMIE SMITH — 7

22 and 60, four catches

Was a (very) unlucky victim of more Snicko controversy in the first innings, adjudged caught behind despite evidence suggesting that was in fact not the case. Dispatched multiple sixes early on day five to put that little bit of pressure back on Australia’s bowlers, despite England’s backs being up against the wall. As England edged closer to doing the unthinkable, Smith’s tempo went up another notch as he passed 50 and whacked the second new ball around in his infancy. His knock came to an abrupt ending though, skying Mitchell Starc high to wide mid-on, in a fashion that is sure to draw scrutiny from many. Kept soundly behind the stumps.

WILL JACKS — 4

6 and 47, 2/105 and 1/107

England’s substitute as a main spinner was tonked all match, and while his three wickets came at key points, his failure to tie down an end remotely can’t be underestimated. There’s no knowing how Shoaib Bashir would have gone in his place as the main spinner, but when you’re also there to lengthen the batting line-up and only make 53 runs across two innings, criticism of the selectors will come thick and fast. His 47 in the second innings was a fighting knock, and was, much like Ollie Pope, undone courtesy of a Marnus Labuschagne blinder.

BRYDON CARSE — 5

2/89 and 3/80, 0 and 39*

Another polarising performance with the ball for the right-arm quick. Was borderline horrific with the new ball on day one, and finished with an economy of 5.66 in the first innings from 16 overs. Came out on day three for Australia’s second innings and arguably bowled the best he has all series, and looked to attack the stumps far more than usual which saw him dismiss Jake Weatherald leg before. Day four then brought even more short and wide bowling, before claiming two tail-end wickets. Unfortunately, finishes with match figures again disproportionate to how he bowled, and will be up against it to hold his spot for Boxing Day. His wasting of the new ball on day one has notably hurt his final rating, despite taking as many wickets as teammate Josh Tongue. Gains an extra point for his stellar effort with the bat in the second dig, finishing unbeaten on 39.

JOFRA ARCHER — 9

5/53 and 1/20, 51 and 3

What a Test match for the English quick. Picked up his first five-wicket haul on Australian soil after a strong opening day with the ball, and was rewarded for consistently challenging batters in both halves of the wicket. Was then able to take it up a notch again with his maiden Test fifty at a crucial time, which was also his first in over eight years at professional level. Bowled much less in the second innings, but still didn’t give the Aussie batters much to work with. Extremely hard to fault all match, in the perfect response to his sour end in the second Test. Getting caught at deep backward point for three was a heck of a way to finish his match, for all the wrong reasons.

JOSH TONGUE — 7

1/64 and 4/70, 7* and 1

England’s inclusion into the fast bowling cartel was expensive to begin with in the first innings, but finished off strong as one of their better seamers. While he still bowled loose balls in the second dig, was aptly rewarded for challenging the batters to pick up figures of 4/70. Would be ludicrous to leave him out of the England side for the fourth Test.