England avoided the possibility of a whitewash at the Ashes after they earned an unlikely draw in the fourth Test.
Australia had seemed primed for victory following the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow but Stuart Broad and James Anderson were able to guide England home to a hard-fought draw and restore some pride.
Here, Sportsmail’s LAWRENCE BOOTH assesses the performances from both teams following the fourth Test at the SCG in Sydney.
James Anderson and Stuart Broad embrace after earning England a draw in the Fourth Test
England
Haseeb Hameed – 1
Has now made six single-figure scores in a row. His technique looks shot: stuck deep in his crease, he is an edge waiting to happen. Rory Burns must replace him at Hobart.
Zak Crawley – 7
Promised us a century, and almost got there, batting beautifully on the final morning for 77 out of a total of 96. He has to use this as a platform for the rest of his career.
Dawid Malan – 2
Since his eighties at Brisbane and Adelaide, he has made 20, 14, 0, 3 and 4 – and played two tired shots in this game. Has looked a sitting duck all series against Lyon, and finally came a cropper.
Haseeb Hameed’s Ashes struggles continued and he must be replaced for the final Test
Joe Root – 4
A tired waft at Boland meant he started 2022 with a duck, before Boland’s accuracy undid him again on the last afternoon. Immediately headed to the nets – but at least he has avoided a whitewash on his captaincy CV.
Ben Stokes – 8
Batted nearly five and a half hours in all despite a side strain, and contributed a pair of characterful sixties. May yet play as a specialist batsman at Hobart. On this evidence, England will need him.
Jonny Bairstow – 8.5
That’s how to save a Test career. Brushing aside the pain of a sore right thumb, he followed a pulsating century with a rearguard 41.
Jonny Bairstow had a much better test as he followed a century with a rearguard 41
Jos Buttler – 3
Has he played his last Test? A finger injury in the field has ended his tour, and the future looks uncertain. Anonymous with the bat, and now averages 19 in Ashes cricket.
Mark Wood – 7
He’ll be tired of hearing it, but match figures of three for 141 – including the world’s top-ranked batsman, Labuschagne, for 28 and 29 – didn’t reflect his efforts. Also contributed a quick 39, with three pulled sixes off Cummins.
Jack Leach – 7
Finally got a prolonged second-innings bowl, and performed decently, even if his figures were flattered by two late wickets as Australia slogged. Heroic with the bat on the last evening.
Jos Buttler’s Test future looks uncertain after a finger injury in the field ended his Ashes
Stuart Broad – 7
Drew on all his competitive zest to pick up his first Test five-for in 18 months – including Warner, for old time’s sake. It was just a shame the selectors didn’t give him that chance from the start of the series. Defended superbly with the bat in the final-evening gloom
James Anderson – 6
Never wilted: his 42 overs in the match cost just 88, and he nervelessly played out a maiden to secure the draw. But he rarely looked like adding to the first-innings wicket of Harris. May get a breather in Hobart.
Stuart Broad (right) defended superbly with the bat on the final evening of the Fourth Test
Australia
David Warner – 5
Got to 30 before falling to Broad for the 13th time in Tests, and was then dismissed cheaply by Wood, who has troubled him all series.
Marcus Harris – 6.5
Twice made a start, twice fell groping outside off stump. Many Australians want him out of the team, but he has still scored more runs in the series than all the England players bar Root, Malan and Stokes.
Marnus Labuschagne – 5.5
Since replacing Root at the top of the Test rankings, he has now fallen three times in a row to Wood without reaching 30.
David Warner fell to Stuart Broad and was then dismissed cheaply by Mark Wood
Steve Smith – 7
Wanted a hundred for his home crowd, but was undone by Broad for 67 in the first innings. Fell to a lazy dab at Leach in the second, then took his wicket on the dramatic final evening.
Usman Khawaja – 10
Ignored by Australia’s selectors for two and a half years, he made 137 and 101 not out, and may still be pinching himself. It wasn’t his fault Cummins delayed the declaration.
Cameron Green – 7.5
Keeps chipping in with economical wickets – Malan in the first innings, Crawley in the second – and enjoyed himself with the bat on the fourth afternoon. No England bowler has more than his nine wickets in the series.
Usman Khawaja poses with the Player of the Match after award after the Fourth Test
Alex Carey – 3
Proving unexpectedly fallible diving to his right, and two cheap dismissals with the bat. Bring back Tim Paine for a home Test in Tasmania?
Pat Cummins – 6.5
Twice removed Buttler and Wood – thrillingly on the final evening. But he wasn’t quite at his best, and should have declared earlier on the fourth afternoon.
Mitchell Starc – 5.5
Removed Hameed early in England’s first innings, but finished with match figures of one for 124, and couldn’t break through with the second new ball on the last evening.
Scott Boland – 9
So Melbourne wasn’t a fluke, then. Removed Root for a first-innings duck, and took seven for 66 from 38.1 relentless overs – including Root once more. Never misses his spot.
Nathan Lyon – 6
Went at five an over for the first time in a Test innings for five years as Bairstow attacked him, and couldn’t quite prise England open on the last day.
Alex Carey had two cheap dismissals and should arguably be replaced by Tim Paine for a home Test in Tasmania
Scott Boland proved his Melbourne display was no fluke with another strong showing