1st Test - Brisbane: England marks out of 10

 
Well, who'd have thought that after day three with England in the early stages of climbing the mountain of a 221 run first innings deficit? Three centurions later, it is England who now have the momentum going into the Adelaide Test on Friday.

Here's how they rated in Brisbane: 

Andrew Strauss - 8: Typically resilient comeback after following up a third ball duck with his first test hundred in Australia. A bit negative at times during the Hussey-Haddin partnership, but it is his counterpart that has the bigger problems.

Alastair Cook - 9.5: What technical deficiencies? 924 minutes at the crease, 302 runs in the match and the sixth highest score by an Englishman against Australia. It would have been 10 if he hadn't dropped Haddin.

Jonathan Trott - 8.5: Two tests against Australia and two second innings hundreds. Poor shot in the 1st innings but more than made up for it second time around. Now has a test average of 59.

Kevin Pietersen - 6: Looked close to his best and in fine fettle for his 43 and even managed to win a battle against the left-arm spinner before driving lazily against Siddle. A big score looks imminent.

Paul Collingwood - 4: For once the Ginger Ninja wasn't required as the England top three removed their backs from the wall with aplomb. A couple of good catches, one drop and 12 overs of dibbly-dobblers. 

Ian Bell - 7: Batted with wonderful fluency and composure in the 1st innings as Siddle caused all hell to break loose around him, which bodes well for the rest of the series. A different batsman from four years ago.

Matt Prior - 4: Kept well enough but played all around the only ball he faced from Siddle - a dismissal we've seen before from the Sussex man. 1-0 to Haddin in the battle of the keepers.

Stuart Broad - 5: Bowled better than his one wicket in the match suggested. Saw the other side of the game with the bat - following up his 169 in his last test innings with a golden duck here to give Siddle his hat-trick.

Graeme Swann - 4: Not one of his better games. Dropped it short too often - especially to Hussey, but at least showed his character after his first four overs went for a chastening 34. Must improve.

James Anderson - 7.5: Bowled brilliantly with no reward whatsoever on the third morning and on another occasion would have taken five wickets. Kept good lines throughout and put to bed the pre-series questions about his effectiveness on Australian pitches.

Steve Finn - 7: Bounced back well after a nervous start to take six slightly fortuitous wickets in his first Test on Australian soil, and there is still room for significant improvement.

Where next?

Zeroes: Mitchell Johnson

All-time Australian Ashes XI: The Openers, Number 3, 4 and 5, All-rounder, Wicketkeeper, Fast bowlers, Spin Kings

All-time England Ashes XI: The Openers, Number 3, 4 and 5, All-rounder, Wicketkeeper, Fast bowlers, Spin King

Comments

[greyblazer]

I don't know what should Anderson do to take wickets in Aus.He beat the bat about 25 times and a plumb lbw was turned down.Poor Jimmy.

[Mick from Tempe]

So each team takes 11 wickets in the match. the England team suffers a lower middle order collapse and the lessons are..... Sorry not much to learn here. The much vaunted pace battery England has hyped up is, Anderson apart, not up to much. Finn was gifted wickets when the Aussies made the error of chasing fast runs. I'd have wished them to bat slowly and cook the bowlers. I guess they thought nearly two days in the field would do. Nice hit out for Ponting and Watson in the second innings. Sadly unsporting Gabba pitch. Johnson should go though. His pace was down and he looks like his puppy died.

[simon]

Without a lot of luck for the Aussies on Saturday morning, England would have had a first innings lead, even with the freak occurrence of the Siddle hat-trick. It wouldn't have been much of a contest then.