Just a few months back, they were the heroes of another memorable Ashes triumph in England, but these very players were undone by a resurgent Australian side in the latest Ashes which concluded on Sunday. Here’s a look at England’s big names of whom a lot was expected, but they ended up coming a cropper.
Alastair Cook: The England skipper has often led from the front in recent years, but that wasn’t the case this time. Cook only managed a total of 246 runs at a poor average of 24.6. The most disappointing aspect of Cook’s performance was the fact that he crossed the 50-mark thrice, but did not convert even one of those into a hundred. In fact, he ended up with a highest score of 72. Cook, known for playing long innings, faced only 539 balls in the series.
Kevin Pietersen: He was expected to be England’s talisman, but failed to live up to his reputation for a change. KP’s figures were pretty similar to those of Cook. Pietersen ended up with 294 runs with only two half- centuries to show at an average of 29.4, and a highest of 71. Not the kind of figures that would make a batsman of Pietersen’s calibre proud.
Ian Bell: The middle-order bat was the hero of England’s Ashes triumph back home, but this time he had no answer to the brilliance of Australia’s bowling prowess. Bell managed to score only 235 runs at an average of 26 with only two half-centuries and a highest of 72 not out. Bell only faced 525 balls during the series.
James Anderson: He was supposed to lead England’s attack in the series, as he has so often done over the years, but this time he just wasn’t effective enough. The Aussie batsmen actually played him surprisingly well. Anderson ended up with poor returns of 14 wickets at a high average of 44 with not a single five-wicket haul. His strike rate of 81 in the series proves how easily Australian batsmen managed to keep him at bay.
Graeme Swann: The off-spinner, who announced his retirement at the end of the third Test, had a forgettable series after playing a significant role in three Ashes triumphs. He managed to grab only seven wickets in three Tests averaging as high as 80. He did not pick up more than two wickets in an innings in any of the Tests, and had a strike rate as high as 121.
Matt Prior: The wicket-keeper had been struggling for a while, but the fact that England were winning meant he could be given an extended run. Things changed drastically as the visitors were thrashed in the first three Tests, and lost the Ashes in embarrassing fashion. Prior was dropped at the end of the third Test. He had only 107 runs to show for his efforts at a poor average of 17.8 with just the one half-century. Subsequently, Jonny Bairstow replaced Prior for the fourth Test.
--By A Cricket Analyst
