Cook gets top marks, with Bell and Ballance bottom of class...
Wednesday 3 June 2015 06:34, UK
England's final Test series before The Ashes saw them draw 1-1 with a crack New Zealand outfit.
But which players impressed for Alastair Cook's side - and who has cause for concern ahead of the five-match battle with Australia, which begins in Cardiff on Wednesday, July 8?
Sky Sports expert Nasser Hussain has delivered his grades, saluting the skipper and England's new hero Ben Stokes, and telling Ian Bell and Gary Ballance that they must do better...
ALASTAIR COOK – 9.5/10
He is back. I don’t think I have seen him play better and he captained pretty well, too. One thing he has got to do, though, is stand up to James Anderson and Stuart Broad a bit more and make them realise he is setting the plans.
ADAM LYTH – 8/10
He had a difficult first Test but that’s understandable and to come back in the second Test on his home ground is absolutely brilliant. He is a definite for the Ashes unless he gets an injury and just needs to work on the back foot and leaving the odd delivery on length.
GARY BALLANCE – 2/10
I don’t like giving low marks but he has been worked over by the New Zealand quicks and had a very poor series. He’s not a front-foot lunger and I’m not sure he’s a No 3, even though his record in that spot is phenomenal. I would play him in the Ashes but at No 5.
IAN BELL – 2/10
Bell can’t buy a run since his ton in Antigua. He needs to go back to Warwickshire and get some runs because I would bat him at No 3 in the Ashes and give him some kind of responsibility. He has dropped catches, too, and really needs to deliver as a senior player.
JOE ROOT – 7/10
He had an excellent Test at Lord’s but a very quiet one at Headingley, getting nought and one. It was a reality check but you get Tests like that.
BEN STOKES – 8/10
I loved everything about the Lord’s Test but the performance from Stokes was exhilarating; it was out of the top drawer and really got the crowd going. He will have ups and downs because he is a young gun but he is fantastic.
JOS BUTTLER – 7/10
I know he let a lot of byes past at Lord’s but that was because of the wobble and some of his leg-side catches were outstanding. He batted well and gutsily in the second innings at Headingley as well, though Australia will target him outside off-stump.
MOEEN ALI – 4/10
I don’t understand what his role in the side is. If he is going to bat at eight he needs to get wickets, otherwise someone like Adil Rashid comes into the equation. England need to work out of he is their best spinner.
STUART BROAD – 6/10
I am pleased he has shown some fight with the bat and got some runs as that is going to be massive leading into the Ashes. With the ball he continues to take wickets but is expensive and needs to get less emotional and concentrate on hitting the stumps.
MARK WOOD – 7/10
I have been really impressed with his attitude – his spell to Brendon McCullum at Headingley before getting him out was outstanding – and I think he is a really good cricketer. He looks like he has played 20 Tests but needs looking after physically as he reminds me of Simon Jones.
JAMES ANDERSON – 6/10
Jimmy has bowled well at times and to take his 400th wicket and get New Zealand 2-2 at Headingley was superb. Like Broad, he gets too emotional and needs to pitch the ball up against tailenders but it is vital he stays fit ahead of The Ashes.
