Series ratings, India v Australia

AUSTRALIA

Cowan: 5 Solid but not spectacular, he could have made this position his own if he had gone on with one of his good starts. He does turn the strike over better now than he did a few years ago, and pulls well, but my impression remains that he is too limited to really prosper at test level. A John Dyson type who will probably end up with a John Dyson average. Good fielding in under the lid at short leg was a bonus ... like Warner, gets a bonus point simply for retaining his position over the Bruce Francis Of Our Time.

Warner: 7 A very encouraging series, greatly exceeding all my expectations although a bit 'all or none'. I still think he might be better suited at number 6. His fielding was superb (how can he run so fast on such miserable little pins?) and he really did take the game and perhaps the series away from the Indian bowlers with that one smashing 180 effort. A six series really, but he deserves a bonus mark for keeping Phil Hughes out of the side. Should work on his bowling, which looked as though it might be useful, in that 'at least as good as Steve Smith' way.

Marsh: 1 A very poor series, and one which will see him lose his place. He gets one point for his fielding, which was OK and included one superb catch. I expect he will come back ... if not for the Windies tour after a good ODI series, then after a hiatus. His back injury remains a worry, as it means he hasn't enough time on his side to return to the team as did all of those predecessors of his who had a fair Test start, then a bad run, then a spell out of the side before returning to play a longer and more successful stint.

Ponting: 8 Batted really well, despite sadly coming in at 2 for not many on a number of occasions and seeing 3 for not many soon afterwards. In other words, on most occasions he had to endure pressure, then build, then prosper. Some of his straight and on driving seems to be returning and he is generally playing straighter on both sides of the wicket. Fielding remains generally excellent with some very sharp and important catches interspersed with one or two inexplicable drops. Seems to be enjoying the game again, and does not seem to be missing captaincy one jot, though he does seem to have offered help to a few of the bowlers on occasion. Easily still one of Australia's best 6 batsmen, I now think it more likely than not that he will see mid-2013 v England as his farewell series.

Clarke: 9 Surpassed all my expectations, batted with flair and sold his wicket dearly, showed imagination with his captaincy, swung bowling changes well, bowled himself more than some previous captains who were reluctant to bowl themselves. Barring injury, to which he has always been subject, he could go on to captain the side for a good few years.

Hussey: 8 The veteran perfectionist returned to his 2010-11 form after a worrying dip which many thought pre-terminal. Fielded well and bowled some useful swing at 115-120 k, missing out on wickets during this series, though you always felt he might jag one, and it seems Clarke will always be prepared to give him 2-3 overs just to see what might transpire. Hitting his cuts and back foot cover drives as well as ever, and is well suited to the number 5-6 role at this stage of his career.

Haddin: 3 A quite uneven keeping performance, with some relatively easy chances going begging amidst some much more difficult chances being taken. His batting was unproductive and hot-headed for the most part, before at the end retreating into shotmaking impoverishment ... as the reality of his tenuous position in the side finally dawned. Still a loudmouth who talks a better game than he has ever played; his time has surely come. He will at least be shadowed by Wade on the Windies tour; if Wade does well in the ODIs due to start soon, Haddin may already be gone.

Siddle: 9 Wow - is this the same bowler that bowled bang-it-in ill-directed tripe at the English players a year ago? He's back to a decent length, and with the same effort, just far better directed. He's got some swing going, though not as much as his mates, and he's got useful cut off the wickets in either direction. His execution of these deliveries, these skills, has been so good that it begs the question as to who exactly was advising him previously ... on top of his bowling rejuvenation he also appears to have all the batting nous to make a few big Test scores, though at present he seems to get himself to 30-40 fairly easily before contriving to fall. I think he's capable of a Test century if he applies himself. A vastly improved player, whole-hearted, he never stops trying, and still striving to improve.

Pattinson: 6 Only had half the series this time, but did well enough to suggest that he will remain an integral part of our plans for the next few years. Good pace, good swing, good effort, and good control ... you can't really ask for much more. Except this bloke can bat, too. One to watch.

Harris: 6 Again, like Pattinson, had just half the series, but he bowled with endeavour, control, swing, and occasional hostility. Injury management will mean that he will probably miss as many Tests as he plays (or more) over the next couple of years, but he always gives value when fit enough to get on the park. Fields well too, and can (and will) bat much better than his current average suggests. It'd be nice to think that he will be around, fit, and in calculations in mid-2013. If we can afford to leave him out under those circumstances, we'll be traveling well.

Hilfenhaus: 9 So pleased to see a fit (uninjured) Hilf back on the park, displaying all his skills, in particular showing that he's not a one-trick pony only suited to English wickets. He's back bowling the same sort of lines and variety which brought him so many wickets in his early Shield career. Still probably bowls too many 'workhorse' overs at times, but he is the strongest of the current lot, so that would appear to be his duty. Biffing and bashing better than he did at the start of his career, and his improved ground fielding agility (he's always had a good long throw) was certainly a revelation to Kohli.

Lyon:5 Will have learned so much this series, against the best players of spin in world cricket. With youth still on his side, and with the desire to improve that he has shown I think we've fluked a good 'un here, from out of the blue. Should do well against the lead-footed Windies, where I think he will play all games, and learn still more. His batting is modest, but he is clearly working on that, too. Be interesting to see what unfolds here over the next few years ... if his development stalls, he'll fall by the wayside; if it continues at the same rate it has over the last 12 months, he could become a very good bowler indeed and he might even find himself in contention for higher honours.

Starc: 5 Another development project - bowls with good pace, swings the ball back into the right hander consistently (did you hear that, Mitchell Johnson?) thus making them play. Can bat, and clearly knows he's around the team to learn and to be pressing for a more permanent position.

Overall: Marsh the big disappointment, as it was hoped that he'd be the young batsman introduced to the team and moving forward over the next few years. Haddin just about on his last legs, bowling prospects brighter than any of us could have believed 12 months ago (still lots of work to do), and the successors to Ponting and Hussey not yet clear. With Watson returning to take Marsh's place, and presumably Khawaja the next reserve player, the team for the West Indies looks almost settled right now.

Pretty good, L, but a tad hard on Pattinson. 11 wickets in 2 Tests at 23 rates at least a 7 for mine.

maybe ... I did me best

another way of looking at it would be to look at the relative value of each player:

9 Clarke, Hilfenhaus, Siddle
8 Ponting, Hussey
7 Warner
6 Pattinson, Harris
5 Lyon, Starc, Cowan
3 Haddin
1 Marsh

On that basis I'm still reasonably happy with my initial assessment; except maybe I've been a bit generous to Starc and he should have been on 4 only

A bit generous to Hussey too who should have gone early in the second dig in Melbourne and then cashed in in Sydney after Punter and Pup laid the foundation.

Hussey is at best only the same as Warner who's one innings of note was truly great.

I reckon Ponting would be a 9 as well. Only failed to make 60 in one innings in a 4 test series.

Agree with Punter getting a 9 . . . his two 60s in Melbourne saved our arse

India
Gambhir 0
Sehwag 1
Dravid 0
Tendulkar 1
Laxman 0
Kohli 2
Dhoni 0
Saha 2
Ashwin 1
Yadav 2
Ishant 0
Zaheer 1

JGK wrote:A bit generous to Hussey too who should have gone early in the second dig in Melbourne and then cashed in in Sydney after Punter and Pup laid the foundation.

Hussey is at best only the same as Warner who's one innings of note was truly great.

I reckon Ponting would be a 9 as well. Only failed to make 60 in one innings in a 4 test series.

I concur.

tricycle wrote:India
Gambhir 0
Sehwag 1
Dravid 0
Tendulkar 1
Laxman 0
Kohli 2
Dhoni 0
Saha 2
Ashwin 1
Yadav 2
Ishant 0
Zaheer 1

Spoken like a heartbroken fan. I feel your pain, t.

tac wrote:Agree with Punter getting a 9 . . . his two 60s in Melbourne saved our arse

Yeah, a double, a single and two 60s, plus superb slips work (cept for the one off Laxman on Satdy evening) prolly worthy of almost perfect marks.

skully wrote:

tricycle wrote:India
Gambhir 0
Sehwag 1
Dravid 0
Tendulkar 1
Laxman 0
Kohli 2
Dhoni 0
Saha 2
Ashwin 1
Yadav 2
Ishant 0
Zaheer 1

Spoken like a heartbroken fan. I feel your pain, t.

Was going to say it was a touch on the complimentary side, but I guess not.

Maybe SRT, Kohli and Zak rate a point higher, but t is not far off the mark.

I was going to give Kohli a 3. His sooking cost him a point.

Anyway, here's to hoping that India are miserable in the ODI tournament as well and it sends a pin right up the BCCI's arse, making them accept that India could have even lost to Zimbabwe.