Well… It’s all done and dusted
now!!!! Two months ago the English squad arrived in the Australian shores with
high hopes of winning their 4th consecutive Ashes series and perhaps
with their best chance to win it 5-0. But cricket is a game known for its
glorious uncertainties and the outcome of this series is a testament to that
old saying!!! In this edition of the blog we will look into all the runs and
ruins from Ashes 2013/14.
This series was the first time
ever Australia played with an unchanged XI for the whole series of 5 tests or
more - a proof of their form and fitness. Also it’s the first instance of a
side winning all tests of a 5-match series with the same XI players.
Teams playing same XI in all 5 tests of a series
Team
|
Series
|
Year
|
Host country
|
Result
|
England
|
Ashes
|
1884/85
|
Australia
|
Won
(3-2)
|
South
Africa
|
Eng
in SA
|
1905/06
|
South
Africa
|
Won
(4-1)
|
West
Indies
|
Frank
Worrell trophy
|
1990/91
|
West
Indies
|
Won
(2-1)
|
Australia
|
Ashes
|
2013/14
|
Australia
|
Won (5-0)
|
Ashes whitewashes
(5-0)
Year
|
Aus Captain
|
Eng Captain
|
Host country
|
1920/21
|
W
Armstrong
|
Johnny
Douglas
|
Australia
|
2006/07
|
Ricky
Ponting
|
Andrew
Flintoff
|
Australia
|
2013/14
|
Michael
Clarke
|
Alistair
Cook
|
Australia
|
Batting
Team
|
Runs
|
Avg
|
RPO
|
100/50
|
HS/LS
|
Aus
|
3189
|
41.41
|
3.75
|
10/15
|
570/204
|
Eng
|
2158
|
21.58
|
2.89
|
1/10
|
353/136
|
Australia averaged nearly 20
runs more per wicket that England. In fact England’s average runs per wicket of
21.58 is their 3rd lowest in an Ashes series since 1900. All from
top 7 but George Bailey scored hundreds for Australia. . 4 Australians scored 2
hundreds each in this series which is a first in Ashes. Australia mange to
convert 10 of their 25 fifty plus scores to a century whereas England’s lone
century came from the new comer Ben Stokes in the 2nd innings at the
WACA. England’s tally of one century in the whole Ashes series is the 2nd
lowest for them in the last 100 years. (None of the English players scored a
century in the 1972 Ashes, highest being Brian Luckhurst’s 96). On the other hand
Australia’s tally of 10 hundreds in the series is the joint most for them in an
Ashes. None of the English batsmen scored over 300 in the series and only
Stokes averaged above 30 (34.87). England was dismissed below 200 for 6 times
in their 10 innings while England could dismiss Australia only 5 times in 10
innings. England was dismissed in a mere 31.4 overs in the second innings at
Sydney which is the second least they batted in a completed Ashes innings in
the last 100 years following their 28.2 over surrender at the Gabba in 2002/03
series.
Warner & rogers : Complemented each other very well and gave Australia good starts more often than not
Most
runs in the series
Player
|
Inngs
|
Runs
|
Avg
|
SR
|
100 / 50
|
HS
|
David Warner
|
10
|
523
|
58.11
|
74.39
|
2 / 2
|
124
|
Brad Haddin
|
8
|
493
|
61.62
|
71.55
|
1 / 5
|
118
|
Chris Rogers
|
10
|
463
|
46.30
|
48.99
|
2 / 3
|
119
|
Michael Clarke
|
10
|
363
|
40.33
|
57.25
|
2 / 0
|
148
|
Shane Watson
|
10
|
345
|
38.33
|
65.21
|
1 / 2
|
103
|
·
Kevin Pietersen scored the most runs for England
(294 at 29.40) while Ben Stokes was their only batsman averaging above 30 and
scored only the 100 for them.
Partnerships
Aus
|
Eng
|
|||||||||
Wkt
|
Runs
|
Avg
|
RR
|
100/50
|
Highest
|
Runs
|
Avg
|
RR
|
100/50
|
Highest
|
Opening
|
419
|
41.90
|
3.52
|
1 / 2
|
157
|
250
|
25.00
|
2.81
|
0 / 2
|
85
|
Middle order (3-6)
|
1576
|
47.75
|
3.72
|
5 / 6
|
200
|
1075
|
26.87
|
2.72
|
1 / 5
|
111
|
Lower Order (7-10)
|
739
|
30.79
|
4.21
|
1 / 3
|
114
|
562
|
14.05
|
3.54
|
0 / 0
|
49
|
Australia averaged more than
England in partnerships for all wickets and also scored runs at a faster pace
for all wickets except #8 (Eng’s 5.07 to Aus’s 4.40). England managed just one
century partnership the whole series – Pietersen & Root adding 111 for the
3rd wicket in the 2nd innings at the Adelaide Oval
whereas Australia had century partnerships for all wickets down to #7 except
for the 4th wicket, mostly because of Bailey’s indifferent form with
the bat compared to the rest of his team mates. England averaged above 30 only
for the 3rd wicket stand (30.50). Australia averaged more than 50
for the 6th and 7th wicket with a total of 4 century
partnerships. Australia recovered from positions of 132/6, 257/5, 143/5 and
97/5 because of their strong lower middle order lead by Brad Haddin and ably
supported by Johnson, Harris & Siddle. Haddin scored 493 runs in 8 innings
at 61.62 and a strike rate of 71.55 with a century & 5 fifties. He now holds
the record of scoring most runs in a series at no. 7 or lower, most runs in a
series for a designated WK, most fifties in a series by a WK and scoring 50 or
more in each of the 1st innings of all 5 tests of a series.
Most
runs in a series batting at #7 or lower
Player
|
Team
|
Vs
|
Year
|
Inngs
|
Runs
|
Avg
|
100 / 50
|
HS
|
Brad Haddin
|
Aus
|
Eng
|
2013/14
|
8
|
493
|
61.62
|
1 / 5
|
118
|
Adam Gilchrist
|
Aus
|
SA
|
2002/03
|
5
|
473
|
157.66
|
2 / 1
|
204*
|
Andrew Flintoff
|
Eng
|
SA
|
2003
|
8
|
423
|
52.87
|
1 / 3
|
142
|
Ian Botham
|
Eng
|
Aus
|
1981
|
10
|
399
|
44.33
|
2 / 1
|
149*
|
Wasim Raja
|
Pak
|
WI
|
1976/77
|
7
|
368
|
61.33
|
1 / 3
|
117*
|
Brad Haddin : The man who was rescued Australia every time when they were in trouble
Bowling
Team
|
Overs
|
Wkts
|
Avg
|
SR
|
5 wkts
|
BBI
|
Aus
|
746.4
|
99
|
20.86
|
45.2
|
5
|
7/40
|
Eng
|
850.2
|
74
|
41.97
|
68.9
|
2
|
6/81
|
The bowling and batting
averages of Australia and England are almost the reverses of each other. The
difference between batting and bowling averages for Australia is +19.09 and for
England is -21.67. The trio of Johnson, Siddle & Harris was relentless and
hardly bowled a poor spell among them. England’s main strike bowler James
Anderson averaged 43.92 per wicket at took a wicket every 13.5 overs (to Johnson’s
13.92 at a wicket every 5 overs). Stuart
Broad well in most parts of the series but lacked the support from other end to
keep up the pressure. England picked 4 seamers standing over 6’5” tall for the
series but Broad apart, the other 3 played just 2 tests among them. Aussie paceman
average 18.35 per wicket which the best for them in an Ashes since 1890.
Pace -
comparison
Team
|
Overs
|
Wkts
|
Avg
|
SR
|
5 wkts
|
BBI
|
Aus
|
559.2
|
79
|
18.35
|
42.4
|
4
|
7/40
|
Eng
|
588.3
|
60
|
34.86
|
58.8
|
2
|
6/81
|
Spin - comparison
Team
|
Overs
|
Wkts
|
Avg
|
SR
|
5 wkts
|
BBI
|
Aus
|
187.2
|
20
|
30.80
|
56.2
|
1
|
5/50
|
Eng
|
257.5
|
14
|
71.21
|
110.5
|
0
|
4/82
|
·
The above table excludes 4 overs off Kevin
Pietersen’s off spin.
The bowling average of 30.80
for Aussie spinners is the best in an Ashes series since Shane Warne’s
retirement. The averaged less than half of their English counterparts and
struck once every 9 overs to England’s 18 overs. Both Swann and Panesar averaged above 80 per
wicket while rookie Borthwick took 4 wickets in his only test but they came at 6.30 runs per over.
Most wickets
in the series
Player
|
Overs
|
Wkts
|
Avg
|
SR
|
ER
|
5 wkts
|
BBI
|
Mitchell Johnson
|
188.4
|
37
|
13.97
|
30.5
|
2.74
|
3
|
7/40
|
Ryan Harris
|
166.2
|
22
|
19.31
|
45.3
|
2.55
|
1
|
5/25
|
Stuart Broad
|
161.5
|
21
|
27.52
|
46.2
|
3.57
|
1
|
6/81
|
Nathan Lyon
|
176.2
|
19
|
29.36
|
55.6
|
3.16
|
1
|
5/50
|
Peter Siddle
|
156.4
|
16
|
24.12
|
58.7
|
2.46
|
0
|
4/57
|
All the Australian seamers
went for less than 3 an over while none of the English counterparts did the
same. Johnson was so lethal in this series underlined by the fact the only 2
English batsmen averaged above 20 off him (Pietersen 48.50 & Carberry
27.66). Captain Cook scored 766 runs in the last Ashes in Australia at 127.66.
This time he failed to get past 100 even once. His struggles earlier on against
Johnson and Harris accounted for England’s misery at the top of the order. Ryan
Harris averaged 6.66 and 9 against Cook and Pietersen respectively dismissing
them thrice each.
Johnson - the hurricane that uprooted the English top order and blew away the tail
The
twin Ashes series – a comparison
Australia
Series
|
Players used
|
Runs
|
Avg
|
100s
|
Wkts taken
|
Avg
|
5 wkts
|
Avg Diff
|
2013 in Eng
|
17
|
2613
|
29.35
|
4
|
84
|
32.57
|
3
|
-3.21
|
2013/14 in Aus
|
11
|
3077
|
39.96
|
10
|
99
|
20.86
|
5
|
19.09
|
England
Series
|
Players used
|
Runs
|
Avg
|
100s
|
Wkts taken
|
Avg
|
5 wkts
|
Avg Diff
|
2013 in Eng
|
14
|
2684
|
31.57
|
5
|
87
|
30.27
|
6
|
1.30
|
2013/14 in Aus
|
18
|
2030
|
20.30
|
1
|
74
|
41.97
|
2
|
-21.67
|
Australia under Michael Clarke
have made one of the greatest comebacks in the history of cricket and their
next series in South Africa is now one which cricket fans across the world
would be having their sights set on. Dale Steyn vs Mitchell Johnson – one of
the contests to look forward to in 2014. For England it’s time to ponder over
what went wrong and to make some fresh changes.
TAILENDER
A
cartoon from @satishacharya during the series.
