Pietersen stands alone in fragile batting performance
Andrew Miller's report card on England's individual performances in the three-Test series
Andrew Miller
14-Aug-2007
After their near-miss in the first Test at Lord's, England thought they had the measure of this series. It wasn't to be, as their batsmen repeatedly failed to build on their starts and their young bowling attack lost momentum at Trent Bridge and The Oval. Cricinfo runs the rule over the 11 men who took the field
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Kevin Pietersen - 8
Pietersen regarded his century at Lord's as the finest of his career and, while that statement caused surprise at the time, hindsight suggests he wasn't entirely over-egging it. England's near-miss in that match disguised the growing dominance of India's swing attack, and not even Pietersen was able to master them in the decisive second Test at Nottingham. Once the conditions had eased, his final-day performance at The Oval ensured he took his rightful place at the top of England's averages. No one else in the batting line-up can match his inner drive.
Pietersen regarded his century at Lord's as the finest of his career and, while that statement caused surprise at the time, hindsight suggests he wasn't entirely over-egging it. England's near-miss in that match disguised the growing dominance of India's swing attack, and not even Pietersen was able to master them in the decisive second Test at Nottingham. Once the conditions had eased, his final-day performance at The Oval ensured he took his rightful place at the top of England's averages. No one else in the batting line-up can match his inner drive.
Michael Vaughan - 7
Gains an extra mark for his gorgeous century at Trent Bridge - the innings of the summer by a distance, and Vaughan's most aesthetically pleasing since his 2002-03 zenith. But in the final analysis that counts for little. His side lost their first home series since 2001, and Vaughan's Midas touch has been tarnished a bit. Even so, the fact that he has emerged from the summer unscathed is a big enough bonus. This time last year, it was widely assumed he would never be seen in a Test match again.
Gains an extra mark for his gorgeous century at Trent Bridge - the innings of the summer by a distance, and Vaughan's most aesthetically pleasing since his 2002-03 zenith. But in the final analysis that counts for little. His side lost their first home series since 2001, and Vaughan's Midas touch has been tarnished a bit. Even so, the fact that he has emerged from the summer unscathed is a big enough bonus. This time last year, it was widely assumed he would never be seen in a Test match again.
Ryan Sidebottom - 7
Effortlessly filled Matthew Hoggard's long-term role as England's shop-floor manager - providing accuracy, stamina and consistent movement through the air. He is a bowler transformed from the one-dimensional trundler he had been on debut six years earlier, and his ability to bend the ball sharply back into the right-hander's pads kept his opponents guessing all summer long. Was phenomenally unlucky with dropped catches, however, and a side-strain at The Oval was not the send-off he deserved.
Effortlessly filled Matthew Hoggard's long-term role as England's shop-floor manager - providing accuracy, stamina and consistent movement through the air. He is a bowler transformed from the one-dimensional trundler he had been on debut six years earlier, and his ability to bend the ball sharply back into the right-hander's pads kept his opponents guessing all summer long. Was phenomenally unlucky with dropped catches, however, and a side-strain at The Oval was not the send-off he deserved.
James Anderson - 6
When he was good he was very, very good. When he was bad, he was ... indifferent. Anderson produced a revelatory seven-wicket performance in the first Test at Lord's. It was arguably his most exacting spell since the 2003 World Cup, and the purists purred at the accuracy of his line and the explosiveness of his movement off the pitch. But sustaining that fever pitch proved more troublesome, and all too often he found himself straining to force the pace, and sacrificing his rhythm as a result. Still, he finished strongly in the final innings at The Oval and, at the age of 25, he is the most youthful veteran in England's new-look attack.
When he was good he was very, very good. When he was bad, he was ... indifferent. Anderson produced a revelatory seven-wicket performance in the first Test at Lord's. It was arguably his most exacting spell since the 2003 World Cup, and the purists purred at the accuracy of his line and the explosiveness of his movement off the pitch. But sustaining that fever pitch proved more troublesome, and all too often he found himself straining to force the pace, and sacrificing his rhythm as a result. Still, he finished strongly in the final innings at The Oval and, at the age of 25, he is the most youthful veteran in England's new-look attack.
Chris Tremlett - 6
Had a lot of ground to make up after a fizzer of a performance in Australia last winter but under the guidance of Shane Warne at Hampshire, Tremlett is a bowler reborn. A shortened run-up has extended his stamina, and commentators have waxed all series long about a flawless action that uses every inch of his massive 6' 8" frame. He extracted unnerving bounce from every surface he encountered. Steve Harmison has not been missed, and that is perhaps the most exciting aspect of all.
Had a lot of ground to make up after a fizzer of a performance in Australia last winter but under the guidance of Shane Warne at Hampshire, Tremlett is a bowler reborn. A shortened run-up has extended his stamina, and commentators have waxed all series long about a flawless action that uses every inch of his massive 6' 8" frame. He extracted unnerving bounce from every surface he encountered. Steve Harmison has not been missed, and that is perhaps the most exciting aspect of all.
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Paul Collingwood - 6
Never stopped scrapping, unlike too many of his team-mates, but also never looked like being a dominant factor in the series. His two innings at Lord's set an ominous precedent - Kumble nailed him third ball with the googly, RP Singh nailed him third ball with a bouncer - but he shrugged off both indignities and braced himself for survival. Played second fiddle to Vaughan at Trent Bridge and to Pietersen at The Oval but never threatened a Nagpur-style counterattack. With the ball in hand, however, he was a revelation, grabbing three Galacticos in four attempts - Tendulkar, Ganguly (twice) and Dravid - to treble his career tally and halve his career average.
Never stopped scrapping, unlike too many of his team-mates, but also never looked like being a dominant factor in the series. His two innings at Lord's set an ominous precedent - Kumble nailed him third ball with the googly, RP Singh nailed him third ball with a bouncer - but he shrugged off both indignities and braced himself for survival. Played second fiddle to Vaughan at Trent Bridge and to Pietersen at The Oval but never threatened a Nagpur-style counterattack. With the ball in hand, however, he was a revelation, grabbing three Galacticos in four attempts - Tendulkar, Ganguly (twice) and Dravid - to treble his career tally and halve his career average.
Monty Panesar - 5
It's been an inexorable rise over the last 12 or so months, but Panesar's progress received a timely reality check in this series. Indians certainly know how to deal with left-arm spin, especially on pitches that are designed for the pacemen. Monty had his moments - most notably the nailing of Tendulkar at Lord's - but he spent more time than he'd imagined being pushed onto the defensive, an aspect of his game he hasn't yet honed to perfection. What's more, he served up more full-tosses in a single series than he'd bowled in his career to date. Quite possibly he was trying too hard.
It's been an inexorable rise over the last 12 or so months, but Panesar's progress received a timely reality check in this series. Indians certainly know how to deal with left-arm spin, especially on pitches that are designed for the pacemen. Monty had his moments - most notably the nailing of Tendulkar at Lord's - but he spent more time than he'd imagined being pushed onto the defensive, an aspect of his game he hasn't yet honed to perfection. What's more, he served up more full-tosses in a single series than he'd bowled in his career to date. Quite possibly he was trying too hard.
Andrew Strauss - 4
The stats suggest he was merely a notch below his best - an average of 35.16, a top score of 96. But Strauss's struggles have been going on for months now. His last international century came against Pakistan at Headingley in August 2006, 12 months and 41 innings ago. He's already been purged from the ODI and Twenty20 set-up, and his Test place has never looked more vulnerable. He knows it too. His two half-centuries were both painstaking affairs, and both ended with uncharacteristic rashness - a charge at Kumble at Lord's, a slash at Zaheer at Trent Bridge. He was once so good at playing within his limitations, but this summer anxiety has ripped his gameplan to shreds.
The stats suggest he was merely a notch below his best - an average of 35.16, a top score of 96. But Strauss's struggles have been going on for months now. His last international century came against Pakistan at Headingley in August 2006, 12 months and 41 innings ago. He's already been purged from the ODI and Twenty20 set-up, and his Test place has never looked more vulnerable. He knows it too. His two half-centuries were both painstaking affairs, and both ended with uncharacteristic rashness - a charge at Kumble at Lord's, a slash at Zaheer at Trent Bridge. He was once so good at playing within his limitations, but this summer anxiety has ripped his gameplan to shreds.
Alastair Cook - 4
It was all too easy while the West Indians were in town, and none have suffered more than Cook for the step-up in class. He hasn't been embarrassed, but he's had some technical shortcomings exposed - in particular his tendency to topple across to the off-side, which is in itself a reaction to the problems he encountered outside his off stump in the Ashes. Instead he's been lbw four times, caught flicking to leg twice, and his uncertainties were highlighted in two unfulfilled performances at The Oval. But with six Test centuries before the age of 23, he has the time, talent and temperament to bounce back.
It was all too easy while the West Indians were in town, and none have suffered more than Cook for the step-up in class. He hasn't been embarrassed, but he's had some technical shortcomings exposed - in particular his tendency to topple across to the off-side, which is in itself a reaction to the problems he encountered outside his off stump in the Ashes. Instead he's been lbw four times, caught flicking to leg twice, and his uncertainties were highlighted in two unfulfilled performances at The Oval. But with six Test centuries before the age of 23, he has the time, talent and temperament to bounce back.
Ian Bell - 4
A disappointment. The fragility of England's post-Giles lower-order, coupled with his success at No. 6 (four hundreds and a 97 in his previous eight matches in that position) meant that Bell should have had a crucial role to play in this series. Instead, after getting caught in the middle of a dramatic collapse at Lord's, he reverted to his familiar anonymity. He twice reached 60 at The Oval, but twice gave it away - a limp waft in the first innings, a daft sweep in the second. But the biggest disappointment was his second-ball duck in the second innings at Trent Bridge, at a time when Vaughan had given England a sniff of the ascendancy and someone - anyone - needed to follow it through.
A disappointment. The fragility of England's post-Giles lower-order, coupled with his success at No. 6 (four hundreds and a 97 in his previous eight matches in that position) meant that Bell should have had a crucial role to play in this series. Instead, after getting caught in the middle of a dramatic collapse at Lord's, he reverted to his familiar anonymity. He twice reached 60 at The Oval, but twice gave it away - a limp waft in the first innings, a daft sweep in the second. But the biggest disappointment was his second-ball duck in the second innings at Trent Bridge, at a time when Vaughan had given England a sniff of the ascendancy and someone - anyone - needed to follow it through.
Matt Prior - 3.5
There's no kind way of putting it, but Prior has had a shocker - a classic example of failing to put one's money where one's mouth is. His constant chirping got the goat of all of India's batsmen, but in the aftermath of the jellybean fiasco, his antics came across as childish rather than tactical. All would have been forgiven had he responded with Test-class performances, but he made a rod for his own back by dropping Tendulkar and VVS Laxman on a flat track at The Oval, and then administered his own abuse with a torturous 15-ball duck. His series started promisingly with an important 42 at Lord's, and ended with some a measure of redemption in his final-innings defiance. But that debut century must seem a lifetime ago.
There's no kind way of putting it, but Prior has had a shocker - a classic example of failing to put one's money where one's mouth is. His constant chirping got the goat of all of India's batsmen, but in the aftermath of the jellybean fiasco, his antics came across as childish rather than tactical. All would have been forgiven had he responded with Test-class performances, but he made a rod for his own back by dropping Tendulkar and VVS Laxman on a flat track at The Oval, and then administered his own abuse with a torturous 15-ball duck. His series started promisingly with an important 42 at Lord's, and ended with some a measure of redemption in his final-innings defiance. But that debut century must seem a lifetime ago.
Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo