Former Ashes-winning captains Allan Border and Michael Vaughan weigh in and give their verdicts on the Australia and England players’ performance in the first Test at the Gabba.
Border and Vaughan's player ratings
AUSTRALIA by Allan Border
CHRIS ROGERS 4/10 17 runs
Not his best game. He got a good ball in the first innings but in the second innings he hit a rank long-hop to point. He needs to do some more work but he’s a quality player.
DAVE WARNER 8/10 173 runs
He was given some freedom to play his game at the top of the order and I think he’s now arrived as a Test match opener. Particularly after that second-innings century. Under pressure to get Australia off to a rollicking start, his defensive effort was just as impressive and blunted the England attack.
SHANE WATSON 4/10 28 runs
Watson looked underdone and needs more game time against the red ball. He’ll be better for the run but didn’t really feature in the game at all.
MICHAEL CLARKE 8/10 114 runs
Worries about his first-innings dismissal were put to rest very quickly. He gets an extra mark for those little moments that come from a gut-feel for captaincy, the little subtle changes that he made off the cuff.
STEVE SMITH 5/10 31 runs; 4-1-15-0 (3.75rpo)
Important runs in the first innings and a duck in the second. He made a couple of good catches and will be better for the run and will feed off the confidence a win will give the team.
GEORGE BAILEY 5/10 37 runs
Looked very nervous in his first innings, but a couple of big bombs for six off the spinners in the second dig would have settled the nerves nicely. It wasn’t a commanding performance but he will be better for it down the road. The jury is still out.
BRAD HADDIN 9/10 147 runs; 5 catches
Hardly put a foot wrong. Steadied the ship in first innings with a crucial 94. Without that innings Australia were looking right down the barrel. His second-innings bludgeoning took the game away from England and he was very good with the gloves. Nearly a perfect game.
MITCHELL JOHNSON 9/10 103 runs; 38.1-9-103-9
Helped save our bacon with the bat in the first innings and then started to open some cracks in England with the ball. Came out firing full of confidence in the second innings. Another one with nearly a perfect game.
PETER SIDDLE 6/10 11 runs; 26.4-6-49-2
A good, steady game. Snagged a couple of important wickets in the first innings and bowled much better in the second. He does his role so well, keeping it steady and tight. Probably didn’t get his just returns.
RYAN HARRIS 7/10 9 runs; 34-9-77-5
Wholehearted effort as you would expect. He showed some penetration with the ball and got important wickets. Still the leader of the attack and important Australia keep him fit and firing.
NATHAN LYON 7/10 1 run; 29-10-63-4
He gets a lot of credit for starting the first-innings demise of England. Three straight maidens to Carberry, then getting Bell and Prior in back-to-back deliveries was a huge momentum swing for Australia.
CHRIS SABBURG (12th man) 10/10 1 catch
He was basically a club cricketer five minutes ago but won a contract with the Brisbane Heat by being a standout Twenty20 player. To be standing at fine-leg, thinking it’s great fun to be out in the middle, all of the sudden the heart would have gone into his mouth when the ball went in the air, it’s Kevin Pietersen, one of their major wickets, and he took a good running catch. His heart rate would have gone from 80 to 180 in one second.
ENGLAND by Michael Vaughan
ALASTAIR COOK 7/10 78 runs
He captained well in the match, particularly on that first day. Was in good form with the bat in the second innings and led from the front and sent a message to the dressing room.
MICHAEL CARBERRY 6/10 40 runs
In the first innings he was good, played well, showed promise, left the ball well and looked like he had plenty of time.
JONATHAN TROTT 3/10 19 runs
He’s had a poor match. He’ll know that and doesn’t need me or anyone else to tell him that. Played two very average shots to get out.
KEVIN PIETERSEN 5/10 44 runs
Showed promise and a sign that he is playing well is when he is hitting the ball straight, and he was doing that. Again played two shots that … well, he’ll know he’s played a couple of silly shots.
IAN BELL 5/10 37 runs
He’s the one reason why England won the Ashes last series. A class act but he got a couple of decent nuts. In the first innings he could have played it a bit better but it bounced; in the second innings he couldn’t really do anything about that.
JOE ROOT 5/10 28 runs; 18-3-62-0 (3.44rpo)
He’s just ended up with a red-ink second innings and that’s saved him from a low rating. He played a horrific shot in the first innings. He has got lots of energy and he bowled some nice off-spin.
MATT PRIOR 4/10 4 runs; 3 catches
Behind the stumps with the gloves he was excellent. With the bat he really, really struggled.
STUART BROAD 9/10 36 runs; 40-7-8-136 (3.40rpo)
Outstanding. Nothing more needs to be said.
GRAEME SWANN 5/10 0 runs; 53-6-215-2 (4.05rpo)
He struggled with the bat, but did a good job on day one with the ball. But he’ll know that his standards are higher than that.
CHRIS TREMLETT 6/10 15 runs; 26-5-120-4 (3.33rpo)
He did pretty well. I was expecting him not to perform to that standard. He held his end up quite nicely.
JAMES ANDERSON 6/10 4 runs; 44.1-7-140-2 (3.18rpo)
Another who sets himself a high standard. On day one he was excellent, but ultimately he’s not had the same effect as he had back home in the UK. But he’ll bounce back.