Australia have wrapped up the Ashes in straight sets with two matches to play, handing England a demoralising loss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The match finished with two days to play, and while the teams get set for the trek north to Sydney, here are Zero Wicket’s player ratings for the Aussies.
1. David Warner - 6/10
In what was a low-scoring game, Warner certainly did his job at the top of the order for Australia when they were asked to bat.
While not making it to the end of Day 1 wasn’t the ideal scenario, he made the chase of 185 that much easier with his 38 at nearly a run a ball. He was the second top-scorer for the innings and ensured, along with nightwatchman Nathan Lyon, that the home side would make it to stumps with the loss of just a single wicket.
2. Marcus Harris - 8
Harris desperately needed a score on his home deck in the Boxing Day Test, and did just that, winding up with 76.
He was gifted some luck early on Day 2 when an LBW decision he referred game back in his favour, but the runs should see him remain in the Test team for the remainder of the summer, and were critical in setting up the innings victory.
3. Marnus Labuschagne - 1
It’s very rare Labuschagne fails but he did this time around, scoring just 1 off 14 balls. It may well have been his worst Test since he was slotted into the team to replace the concussed Steve Smith during the 2019 Ashes in England.
With no other stats to write home about, and no other influence on the match, a one is as high as we can go.
4. Steve Smith - 3
Like Labuschagne, it’s rare Smith fails as badly as he did here on the Test stage.
In an innings which just goes to show the pitch was anything but batting friendly, Smith got himself in, faced 30 balls and then was dismissed for 16.
5. Travis Head - 6
Head was able to steady the ship when Australia needed it most, scoring 27, but it was the timing of those runs which was most important.
He came to the wicket at 4 for 110 in pursuit of 185, and by the time he was dismissed, the score was 5 for 171 with Australia edging towards the lead on the second afternoon of the Test.
6. Cameron Green - 6
This score wasn’t necessarily picked up with the bat by Green, although his contribution there was important.
His bowling in the first innings came at a crucial time, bowling four out of eight maidens, picking up a wicket and turning the screws on England who were desperate to take the fight back to the Aussies.
He didn’t let them, and as the fifth bowling option, captain Cummins and the Aussies couldn’t have asked for anything more.
7. Alex Carey - 6
Carey has been excellent with the gloves throughout this series, and was again during Australia’s two efforts in the field in the third Test.
He added 19 runs in a low-scoring match - not setting the world on fire, but better than most of the English batsman could produce, and certainly far superior to anything Jos Buttler did.
8. Mitchell Starc - 9
It was incredibly tempting to give Starc a ten here.
He was outstanding all match long, and while he could be rested in Sydney, he would have well and truly earned the breather.
He took 2 for 54 in the first innings, then backed it up with 24 crucial runs off the bat in Australia’s batting effort which took the lead all the way to 82, before bowling brilliantly in the second dig to take another three wickets.
9. Pat Cummins - 8
Cummins might not have taken a wicket in the second innings, but the wickets Starc and Boland managed to take on the second afternoon of the Test can go down as assists to Cummins who ramped up the pressure at the other end and refused to let it go.
He also took three-for in the first innings, burning through all of Haseeb Hameed, Zak Crawley and Dawid Malan to have England reeling at 3 for 61.
10. Nathan Lyon - 8
When you consider how out of form Nathan Lyon was prior to the commencement of this Ashes series, his form has been quite remarkable.
He didn’t get a bowl in the second innings which lasted less than 28 overs, but he was a menace to the English batsmen on the Day 1 wicket, taking three wickets and keeping the pressure down for long periods so the quicks could have a breather.
11. Scott Boland - 10
File this spell under “best Ashes bowling spells in history.”
Boland ripped through England on Day 2 and 3, winding up with 6 for 7 from four overs, including taking the wickets of Joe Root, Haseeb Hameed, Jonny Bairstow and just about all of the bowlers.
It’ll go down in history as one of the best Test debuts ever, and with a wicket to boot in the first innings where he constantly had it on the right line and length, he is no sure thing to be dropped for Sydney.
