Smith’s majesty, Archer’s mastery, the miracle of Headingley: our writers give their verdicts after an extraordinary Test seriesVic Marks There’s no room for smartarsery here. It has to be Steve Smith averaging 110 in a bowlers’ series. Without him Australia would surely have lost the Ashes. Related: Five steps England must take to regain the Ashes in 2020-21 | Rob Smyth Related: Weary Steve Smith is just for once unable to rise to the occasion | Geoff Lemon Related: Jonny Bairstow’s role in the middle order is key to England’s future | Barney Ronay Continue reading...
The Yorkshireman was excellent behind the stumps again but his batting position must be questionedIn the end a losing draw felt about right. England and Australia have finally left the building. Although at times during this fifth Test Australia seemed to have checked out some time early last week. Related: England win fifth Test to draw Ashes series but Australia keep urn Continue reading...
A scrapbook of cricket memories would include the miracle of Headingley and much, much moreThere has been some suggestion, when analysing the individual performances at the Oval Test, that certain players are looking tired from their long summer of international cricket. It is easy to empathise with them – it’s been an epic one for all of us. Some of England’s players will be rested during the T20 series in New Zealand and it is tempting to follow their lead. When else are we supposed to take stock of all we’ve seen? Related: There have been 2,358 Tests since 1877 and this was the greatest of them all | Matthew Engel Continue reading...
The England selector has his critics but a bold decision was fully vindicated by his ex-teammate’s imperious batting displayEd Smith doesn’t look as if he goes around punching the air much, at least not in public. But then, England’s national selector doesn’t really resemble an England selector either, traditionally the home of the florid, blazered eminence. Smith tends to look as if he’s stopped off briefly on a motoring tour of 1930s Tuscany, or like James Joyce has unaccountably been offered a job as senior vice-president at Morgan Stanley.New things, new people, new methods. Smith has also been the object of some ambient chuntering during these last few weeks of Ashes cricket. This is a chief selector whose picks have...
England are in charge of the final Test against Australia but apart from some feral behaviour it all felt a little subduedAt 4.17pm on Saturday Ben Stokes’s work with the bat this summer come to an end. Nathan Lyon, the bungling henchman to his superhero at Headingley, got one to dip into the pads, rag past the outside edge and kiss the top of off stump.It was a beautiful piece of spin bowling. But when a drowsy Oval crowd offered Stokes the polite applause that a score of 67 might usually merit, a chance to thank the all-rounder for his efforts during this epic home season felt slightly missed. Related: Joe Denly misses out on century but steers England to...