England
Alastair Cook 7/10
The captain promised more than he delivered, looking good but making only two fifties, yet this series was more about his leadership than his batting. That part was a fulfilling story of redemption, reinvention and reinvigoration
Adam Lyth 3
Spent the summer being tormented in an endless corridor of uncertainty. His forceful 37 at Cardiff was deceptively important, but thereafter he kept nicking off to both good balls and bad
Gary Ballance 5
His figures in his two Tests were modest, and they flattered him. He looked in awful nick before being dropped after Lord’s, though his ugly 61 at Cardiff – a triumph of mental strength – was extremely important
Ian Bell 5
Usually looks good even when not making runs, yet looked badly out of form either side of his match-winning contribution at Edgbaston. Form may be temporary but class is not permanent; at 33, some will wonder if his is deserting him
Joe Root 9
When he gets a hundred, England almost always win. Scores important runs and his 134 at Cardiff is among the greatest tone-setting innings in Ashes history. He makes runs for fun in more ways than one, but England are far too dependent on him
Jonny Bairstow 6
Made a brisk, uncomplicated 74 in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge but overall he was not as convincing as he – and lovers of county cricket – would have hoped after a prolific early-season spell with Yorkshire
Ben Stokes 6
At times Botham and Flintoff; at others Irani and Ealham. Will have learned how to turn good spells into wickets, and where the line lies between aggressive and reckless batting. His catch to dismiss Voges at Trent Bridge was the champagne moment of the series
Jos Buttler 4
Given his talent, Buttler’s batting was probably England’s biggest disappointment. There were many soft dismissals and he struggled against Nathan Lyon in particular. His keeping, though, was quietly excellent
Moeen Ali 7
His breezy cameos were vital – no lower-order batsman has ever scored more runs in a series against Australia – but his bowling was generally dependent on unforced errors. England need to establish his identity in the side
Stuart Broad 9
Best series of his career, in which he learned to stop worrying and love pitching the ball up. His eight for 15 at Trent Bridge confirmed his status as England’s greatest Aussie-basher since Botham. Face – or rather the #broadface, below – of series
Mark Wood 6
An instant cult hero who brought infectious exuberance and much needed old-ball menace – not to mention an imaginary horse – to the side. Took the Ashes-winning wicket in only his fifth Test
Steven Finn 7
His eight-wicket comeback at Edgbaston was the feelgood story of the series. There was a slight comedown after in both pace and intensity. But after being dropped during the victories in 2010-11 and 2013, he can feel this Ashes win belongs to him
Jimmy Anderson 7
In his career dotage, as he starts to lose his nip, Anderson has gone back to the days of Good Jimmy and Bad Jimmy. Wicketless – for the first time in 60 Tests – at Lord’s, his six for 47 on the first day at Edgbaston turned the series England’s way Rob Smyth
Australia
Michael Clarke 4/10
Statistically his worst performance in a series lasting more than two Tests. The feet and hands weren’t as quick as they used to be but the brain’s as sharp as ever: cycled through his bowlers effectively and was always one step ahead in the field
Chris Rogers 8
The one player who really “gets” what playing in English conditions requires. His 11 seasons in county cricket help, of course. Finished with a hundred at Lord’s and a career average of 43
David Warner 7
Didn’t quite go “Kaboom” nor did he remain dormant like a World War I shell at the bottom of a garden in Reading. Consistent up top with five half-centuries but never quite took a game away from England
Steve Smith 8
Wowed without wowing: a brace of 33s were followed by a 215 at Lord’s, which was followed by 58, 7, 8, 6, 5, 0 and then 143 in the dead rubber. Still oozed class but his wicket triggered the series-losing collapses.
Adam Voges 4
Easy to discard him on age, but with Rogers, Clarke and Haddin on the way out, experience in the middle order is a necessity. Didn’t do himself justice in familiar surroundings. Two half-centuries and little else
Mitchell Marsh 5
Not quite a coming of age series but an indication that the future is far from bleak. Won’t face the moving ball for a while now so the runs will come but it’s his bowling that has really impressed. Consistent and capable of a little extra when he needs it
Peter Nevill 5
Clean behind the stumps, gritty in front of them – not quite as counterattacking as Haddin but more than capable of batting time. We will see him again in 2017
Mitchell Johnson 7
The odd demonic spell reminded us that, even over here, he’s worth the fear. He found something in a placid Lord’s deck and got 6-80 in the match, and his two brutes in three balls at Edgbaston to remove Bairstow and Stokes were the stuff of nightmares. One fifty, too
Mitchell Starc 6
Outside off-stump, down the leg-side, unplayable yorker, down the leg-side, unplayable bouncer – all series long. Exciting to watch but meant Australia always needed control from one end when he was sending them down at the other
Josh Hazlewood 5
Sound numbers that mask what turned out to be a difficult tour for the newest “new Glenn McGrath”. Struggled by the end to maintain his lines and should have made way for Siddle at Trent Bridge, truth be told
Nathan Lyon 8
A fine tour for a player who is finally being taken seriously. Turned the ball more than Moeen, operated either side of the wicket intelligently while confirming himself as the best fielder in the side
Brad Haddin 4
A tour too far. It is just a shame that family issues saw him sit out the match at Lord’s and eventually leave the tour early. He may have been dropped anyway, but this series really missed his mongrel
Shane Watson 4
The saddest sad clown got two lbws at Cardiff, reviewed them both unsuccessfully and then had the ignominy of getting out leg before against Northamptonshire in the final tour match
Peter Siddle 6
His stock went up when out of the side, then through the roof with his spells at the Kia Oval. Produced a superb ball to square up Bell and clip off-bail. By his own admission, poor displays in warm-up games didn’t help his cause.
Shaun Marsh 3
Probably looked good in the nets. Definitely looked good in the tour games with hundreds against Division Two’s Kent and Derbyshire. But scored 0 and 2 in his one Test at Trent Bridge
Vithushan Ehantharajah
