THIRD TEST PLAYER RATINGS

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Gilchrist - destructive 57-ball century.

By Dave Tickner

AUSTRALIA

Justin Langer
Another quiet game for the opener. Might be under pressure if it wasn't for the Aussies' total dominance. He seemed to play Monty Panesar's reputation in the first innings before being undone by a first-ball beauty from Hoggard second time round. Seem keen to pick a fight with anyone around him when he get out. It would be a big surprise if he continues to represent Australia beyond this series.4

Matthew Hayden
Finally got the better of his nemesis Matthew Hoggard before falling short of a deserved second-innings century. These days he looks a better player when he treats the opposition with some respect rather than trying to bully the bowlers and score a run a ball. 7

Ricky Ponting
Mortal with the bat, making just two in the first innings and 'only' 75 in his second bat. Still an unconvincing captain, too quick to adopt defensive fields, and too happy to just throw the ball to McGrath and Warne for hours on end when things aren't going well. 7

Mike Hussey
While it's hard to warm to someone who refers to himself as Mr Cricket, the name is apt. His average continues to soar, and is now in Bradman territory. He was the one batsman on either side to look comfortable in the first innings, before belatedly recording a first Ashes century in what was easily his least impressive innings of the series. Busy at the crease, busy in the field and one of the best cover-drivers around. 9

Michael Clarke
His development into a genuine top-class player continues with a second high-class century of the series. He just looks so much more compact at the crease, and has taken the chance offered by Shane Watson' injury. Can't see him being dropped again for quite some time. 8

Andrew Symonds
Ambushed England with two cheap wickets in the first innings, but made little impact with the bat. However, he is probably the world's best fielder and frequently saved runs with sliding stops near the boundary and diving efforts in the covers. Should lose marks for tying his hair in a double bow to keep it out of his eyes. 5

Adam Gilchrist
Grassed a tough chance, but no-one will remember this game for Gilchrist's keeping. Aftert a first-innings duck that extended his traumatic run against England, he unleasehd one of the most brutal innings in Test history to destroy whatever hope the tourists had. Had he known how close he was to making the fastest Test hundred of all time, he surely would have broken Viv Richards' 56-ball mark. He may have had to settle for number two on the list, but moving from 50 to 100 in 17 deliveries was a truly astonishing feat of clean hitting. 9

Shane Warne
Still has the best scriptwriters in the business, picking up three cheap wickets on the final day, including the final one to confimr the return of the Ashes. It leaves him perfectly placed on 699 Test victims, heading to his home ground in Melbourne on Boxing Day to reach the unprecedented 700. 8

Brett Lee
Comes up with key wickets at key times, and bowled better than his match figures of three for 144. Always seem to pose troubles to England's batsmen, and his continuing mediocre record against them is something of a mystery. 6

Stuart Clark
Still the best bowler on either side in this series, he never seems to bowl bad balls and troubles all the England batsmen. Has the MCGrath knack of moving the ball just the right amount to find the edge and no further. 8

Glenn McGrath
Looked dead on his feet before producing one of the all-time great overs late on the fourth day, removing Alastair Cook and Matthew Hoggard to swing the game decisively Australia's way. 7

ENGLAND

Andrew Strauss
Hard to give a player any mark when he gets two such horrendous umpiring decisions. It makes three in a row for the Middlesex opener, who actually looks in reasonable nick when the umpires aren't stitching him up. 5

Alastair Cook
Was in danger of becoming this Ashes series' Ian Bell, but a brilliant hundred in the second innings showed all that is good about Cook. Has an amazing temperament for a 21-year-old, and is the youngest Englishman ever to score four Test centuries. Has adapted and tweaked his technique so that he is at least able to play Warne with some confidence, and acts as a useful counterpoint the dashers in the middle order. He and Bell will be key players for many years, and their partnership in the second innings was at least a positive for the beleagured tourists. 9

Ian Bell
Really close to doing something major. Needs to turn useful contributions into decisive ones after reaching a third half-century in the series without going on to reach a maiden Ashes ton. But his 87 in the second innings was a top-class innings, and few players have overcome their demons against Warne in such impressive manner. 8

Paul Collingwood
Crashed back to earth with two ponderous innings after his Adelaide heroics. Hard to understand why he played as he did as he can't be short of confidence. 4

Kevin Pietersen
Smashed 70 in the first innings to help England get somewhere near the Aussie total, and his second-innings half-century briefly lifted hopes of something extraordinary alongside Andrew Flintoff. Needs to learn how to bat with the tail though. Too often he's happy to take singles early in an over rather than try and maneouvre the ball into gaps and run hard for two before looking for boundaries and singles when the fields come in. 8

Andrew Flintoff
A streaky second-innings 50 shouldn't mask the problems Flintoff still has. He looks leaden at the crease and is undoubtedly feeling his troublesome ankle when he bowls. It's too simplistic to say the captaincy is adding too much to his workload, but it certainly isn't helping. 5

Geraint Jones
Has completely lost the plot. His missed stumping highlighted the technical flaws of a keeper who just lacks the talent and confidence to stand right up to the high bounce and turn of the left-armer. His decision to try and run 40 yards to take a catch Pietersen was 10 yards away from was evidence of a man desperately trying to justify his place. But he saved the best for last, apparently forgetting the need to regain your ground after dragging your foot out of it. It suggests a mind in turmoil, and may prove to be his last, embarrassing act in an England shirt for some time. As for a mark, I'll give him one for each run. 0

Saj Mahmood
Hardly bowled, which was fair enough in the first innings as England bowled Australia out in quick time, but more perplexing in the second as Australia built a massive total. If England had no intention of bowling him properly, they may as well have picked Ed Joyce as an extra batsman. 3

Matthew Hoggard
Couldn't repeat the brilliance of Adelaide but deserved more than a single wicket in each innings for some consistent and intelligent swing bowling. 6

Steve Harmison
Bowled brilliantly in the first innings as he finally recaptured some of the form England followers had hoped to see earlier in the series. A solitary second-innings wicket was scant reward as Harmison once again looked like a Test-match bowler. 7

Monty Panesar
Where has he been? In truth, he probably bowled better in the second innings than the first even if the figures suggest otherwise. Grea control, and gets so much action on the ball generating turn but more importantly really steep bounce. Took a battering from Gilchrist in the second innings, but showed why he should have been in the side from the start, and even batted well enough to suggest a possible future rather higher in the order than number 11. No major mishaps in the field either for a player the Aussie crowds have instantly taken to their hearts. 8