England's Ashes campaign has been left in tatters, with Australia taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. The hosts' dominance has been a result of their exceptional performance in various aspects of the game, which has left England playing for pride and places in the remaining two Tests. In this article, we will delve into the key factors that have contributed to England's downfall, using data from analysts CricViz to provide a detailed analysis.
One of the primary reasons for England's struggles has been their inability to get off to a good start. The top-order batsmen have failed to fire, scoring a meager 436 runs at an average of 24.2, compared to Australia's 666 runs at 41.6. This significant difference can be attributed to Australia's bold decision to promote Travis Head to open in the second innings of the first Test, which proved to be a masterstroke. Head's exceptional form, including a sublime 170 in Adelaide, has been a major factor in Australia's success.
On the other hand, England's openers have struggled to make an impact. Ben Duckett has had a dismal series, scoring just 97 runs at 16.16, while Ollie Pope's frenetic approach has not yielded the desired results. The pressure is mounting on these batsmen to perform, and changes to the top order may be on the cards. Zak Crawley, however, has shown some promise, scoring 214 runs in the past two Tests, but it may not be enough to save England's campaign.
England's aggressive approach with the bat, dubbed "Bazball," has not paid off in this series. Despite adopting a more attacking style, they have scored at a lower run-rate than Australia, 3.78 compared to 4.34. The key difference between the two teams has been their success rate when playing attacking shots. Australia's average of 46.9 when playing attacking shots is significantly better than England's 31.4, highlighting the hosts' ability to capitalize on their aggressive approach.
England's struggles in defense have also been a major concern. They have lost 18 wickets while trying to defend, equivalent to a dismissal every 37 defensive shots. In contrast, Australia has lost just seven wickets in similar situations, once every 64 defensive shots.
This disparity in defensive solidityhas been a significant factor in the series, and England will need to address this issue if they are to salvage any pride from the remaining Tests.
England's pace attack, which was hyped as one of the fastest in the world, has failed to deliver in this series. Despite a promising start in the first Test, they have struggled to take wickets with the new ball. In the first 30 overs of an innings, Australia's pace bowlers have taken 32 wickets at an average of 22.8, compared to England's 23 at 32.2. This significant difference in new-ball wickets has given Australia a significant advantage in the series.
England's inability to find the correct length to bowl on each surface has been a major factor in their decline. Complaints from commentators and pundits that England have frequently bowled too short have been backed up by data, which shows that Australia's bowlers have landed 30% of their deliveries in the good length zone, compared to England's 23%. This has allowed Australia to put England's batsmen under sustained pressure, making it difficult for them to score runs.
Australia's superiority in the field has been another significant factor in their success. They have taken 47 catches and dropped just eight, a success rate of 85%, compared to England's 77%.
In conclusion, England's Ashes campaign has been a disappointing one, with various factors contributing to their downfall. From their top-order troubles to their inability to take new-ball wickets, England has been outplayed in almost every aspect of the game. The road to recovery will be a long and difficult one, but England will need to address these issues if they are to regain their pride and competitiveness in the world of cricket.
Original: BBC Sport
Image: BBC Sport
Written by Npsports
