Return of Finn a pleasure to watch
ENGLAND
ALASTAIR COOK 6
Unlucky in the first innings when playing really well and then got an absolute beauty second time. Realised quickly he had to be orthodox in his field settings. Credit for recall of Steven Finn and the way he used him.
ADAM LYTH 3
Continues to struggle. Poor shot in the first innings flashing at a wide one led to his secondinnings dismissal trying to cover deliveries he had been getting out to. That’s the game at the highest level. Under pressure now.
IAN BELL 8.5
Came in under immense pressure but batting order looked so much better with positive right-hander at three. Played beautifully at a great tempo for two half-centuries in a low-scoring Test.
JOE ROOT 8.5
Similar to Bell. Runs in both innings and looked comfortable with his move to four. Got tempo right and a fabulous player to watch. Great catch yesterday and a superstar cricketer in the making.
JONNY BAIRSTOW 4
Couldn’t do anything with that delivery in his only innings. Absolute rip-snorter from Mitchell Johnson which showed, as if Bairstow didn’t know, difference between county and Test cricket.
BEN STOKES 5
Another unplayable delivery from Johnson and wasn’t required to bowl for much of the game because top three seamers were so good. For England to win comfortably with Stokes doing so little is a great effort.
JOS BUTTLER 6
His keeping was excellent, even though he dropped one down the leg side on Thursday night. Would like him to be a bit tougher. Walking off when he could have reviewed a decision that proved to be wrong was naive.
MOEEN ALI
His runs in that partnership with Stuart Broad and his batting with the tail was spot on. That 87-run partnership put the game beyond Australia. Still plenty to work on with his bowling.
STUART BROAD 8
Runs and wickets in the game and a vital presence when the going gets tough. He’s one I’d always like to go into battle with. Revels in pressure situations and needs just one wicket for the 300.
STEVEN FINN 9.5
A magnificent comeback. Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke and deserves all the praise he gets. After all the problems he has had and the hard work he has put in to overcome them, to deliver like that was remarkable.
JIMMY ANDERSON 9.5
Match-winning performance on day one. That’s what you want from your senior bowler. Very cleverly, he quickly realised it was a day for seam not swing. His injury is a huge blow to England.
CHRIS ROGERS 7
Played very well in the first innings — the only Australian to stand up and show how to bat in English conditions after his time with Middlesex. Proved you could bat on this pitch on day one.
DAVID WARNER 7
Second innings was typical Warner and the way he took the attack to England with fluent batting rather than slogging was proper cricket. He’s a fine player who can take the game away and looks in good form.
STEVE SMITH 3
Gave further encouragement to the view that when the ball moves around in England, No 3 is not the place for him to bat. Still got a bit to work on in his game in these conditions but he’s a major threat.
MICHAEL CLARKE 2
Batting after winning the toss was understandable having had Shane Warne in his ear for 10 years about bowling first here in 2005. The pitch was so dry yesterday that if England had needed 250 it would have been difficult. What will concern Clarke is his form. Very unlike him to drop a catch.
ADAM VOGES 2
Place under huge threat. A couple of soft dismissals, particularly in the first innings during his partnership with Rogers. Decent ball second time but could have left it on length and line.
MITCH MARSH 3
Played a very poor shot in first innings and no runs in either. Looks a bit robotic as a batsman — like Shane Watson before him — but a better bowler than I thought he was. Pitched it up and at least gave his captain a bit of control.
PETER NEVILL 7
Lot of people said Australia should have stuck with Brad Haddin but Nevill had a good game. Produced a show of oldfashioned Test batting and his keeping was excellent again.
MITCHELL JOHNSON 8
Magnificent for the sport. Box office in this series and the deliveries he bowled to get Bairstow and Stokes were magnificent. The Ashes aren’t over while he’s around.
MITCHELL STARC 6
Continues to take wickets but he will admit he’s not quite at his best. Sprays it around and has to use the crease a bit better.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD 5
Got wickets but not at his best. Bowls too straight to Alastair Cook with the new ball, allowing him to clip to leg, and needs to adjust his line. Should give Clarke control in English conditions.
NATHAN LYON 8
He’s a fabulous, orthodox bowler and the turn and bounce he gets, in contrast to Moeen Ali, are lovely to watch. Gets dip, too. England keep on saying they are going to get after him but no-one has mastered him yet.