How England Let the Ashes Slip

Australia won the Ashes 4-1 against England. Here’s a summary of strategies, statistics and stories that defined the Ashes, a test cricket series between England and Australia. This article focuses on England, the other article focuses on Australia.

Who were the Best Players for England in the Ashes?

England batsman Joe Root scored two centuries this series, which were his first ever hundreds in Australia. 

Root scored through an array of straight drives, hook shots and cut shots in Brisbane. 

Although Stokes only averaged 18 with the bat in this series, he displayed discipline and good shot selection which England otherwise lacked. 

For example, after England collapsed to 4-71 in Adelaide, Stokes batted throughout almost 40-degree heat and had the longest partnership for England in this series with Will Jacks, as they faced a combined 221 balls between them. 

England fast bowler, Jofra Archer and Stokes later had a partnership of 106, to bring England’s total to 286 in the first innings. 

Stokes was also successful in his field placements, as Head, Carey and Mitchell Starc were all tempted into lofted shots off short balls that were caught by England’s fieldsmen in the first test where Australia scored 132 in the first innings. 

Stokes also put a leg gully when Carey was batting, which he was caught by on three occasions.

Stokes’ bowling created 15 wickets and he had the second best bowling average for England as he bowled consistently unlike some of his teammates. 

Tongue had the best bowling average and got 18 wickets despite only playing 3 matches. 

Jacob Bethell impressed in his two tests by scoring 154 at the SCG including 13 boundaries, from both straight bat and cross bat shots.

Did Bazball Work in Australia?

England’s positive style of test cricket under coach, Brendon McCullum, dubbed BazBall by the media, was shown to be not successful in Australia. 

Leaders of England Cricket such as McCullum or the director, Rob Key, have said their style of cricket is not rigidly aggressive but is about soaking up pressure and putting opposing bowlers under pressure. 

Bazball was effective at times throughout the series, most notably for England batter Harry Brook, who averaged 40 runs in the series and was England’s top scorer in England’s win at the MCG. 

The MCG pitch favoured the bowlers and Brook’s 41 runs off 34 balls helped England reach 110 runs in their first innings, after they lost 4 wickets for 16 runs.

England’s positive style succeeded in Melbourne because the batsmen who looked to score quickly were the most successful.

But the MCG test was an unusual match and otherwise Bazball did not suit Australia’s bouncier pitches.

This was demonstrated in the first test when after containing Australia to 132 in the first innings, England proceeded to lose three wickets for no runs in their second innings. And all three of these dismissals were caused by attempting to cover drive the ball wide of offstump. 

England’s recklessness was later displayed in Adelaide when England wicketkeeper, Jamie Smith, tried to pull the ball over mid-on and was caught by Pat Cummins with 150 still required.

A comeback by England looked possible before Smith’s wicket as J. Smith and Jacks had a partnership of 91 and J. Smith had hit three consecutive boundaries before the wicket. 

But after Smith was caught, England fell short of the required total by 82 runs.

A similarly poor shot occurred at the SCG when Labuschagne bowled a bouncer with fielders on the boundary and J.Smith lofted the ball to deep cover. Following this wicket, England scored another 61 runs, resulting in a total of 384 in the first innings, when Australia scored 567 in their first innings. 

Part of Bazball’s strength is to change the opposing bowler's length and Brook often demonstrated this by stepping away from his stumps to play the ball through the off-side, especially against Australian bowler, Scott Boland, who bowled a consistent length.

Seven commentator, Trent Copeland, noticed Brook did this in the first three balls of an over to change the bowler’s length and then he remained in his crease for the rest of the over.

England’s strategy of batting beyond their crease to eliminate lbw dismissals and to change Australia’s line and length was largely nuffield by Australian wicketkeeper, Alex Carey. 

Carey wicket kept near the stumps when Neser and Boland bowled to prevent England batsmen from batting outside their crease.

It would be unfair to say Bazball was the only reason why England lost the series however, as England’s bowling and fielding was worse than Australia’s. 

England’s bowling & fielding 

England struggled with the new ball as they bowled too short and wide to openers Travis Head and Jake Weatherald who played the cut shot well. 

Australia had a run rate of almost six runs per over after 22 overs in the second test.

Meanwhile in the third test, England bowled the shortest length in the first 8 overs ever recorded at Adelaide Oval. 

Despite Carse being England’s leading wicket taker this Ashes series, he was also the second most expensive bowler this series, with an economy rate of 4.81, or in other words an average of almost five runs scored when he bowled. 

England also dropped five catches throughout the Brisbane test match as England do not have a specialised fielding coach.