Ashes 2017/18: Rating Australian and England players in second Test

Fresh from a one-sided encounter in Brisbane, the second Ashes Test in Adelaide was a very thrilling contest. Displaying their experience with the pink ball and day-night Test cricket, Australia registered a 120-run victory to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

Australia seized on the big moments and prevented England from grabbing their opportunities. The Adelaide Oval provided an entertaining match for the audience and showed the class of certain players as well as weaknesses of others. Let us take a look at how each of them fared in the match.

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Australia

Shaun Marsh scored a brilliant century to take Australia to a strong total in the first innings

Shaun Marsh - 9.5

Marsh batted superbly in the first innings to guide Australia to a strong total. The left-hander played several exquisite shots and also portrayed the right temperament required in the format. The 34-year old's patience and calmness rewarded him with a well-deserved century.

Nathon Lyon – 9

Australia's bowling has been one of their strengths in recent years. Nathan Lyon’s performances have been the cherry on top for most of those occasions. He continued to be a major threat for the left-handers. The off-spinner picked up eight wickets in the match. Apart from dismissing Cook twice, he also took an excellent catch to remove Moeen Ali for the fourth time in the series.

Mitchell Starc – 9

Starc bowled with sharp pace to end up with eight wickets in the match. He bowled in the right areas and troubled the England batsmen right throughout the game. The stunning reflex catch to remove Bairstow was one of the best moments in the Test. His handy 20 was the joint-highest score in Australia's second innings.

Josh Hazlewood – 8.5

One of the most consistent bowlers in terms of line and length, Hazlewood was rewarded with the crucial wicket of Joe Root in the second innings. His rhythm was exceptionally good and he kept testing the technique of the batsmen.

Pat Cummins – 8

Cummins scored a good 44 in the first innings and played his part in assisting Marsh. With the ball, he was rapid and took key wickets whenever the team needed them. His dismissal of Dawid Malan late on the fourth day was a major boost to the team's confidence.

Tim Paine – 7.5

Paine scored a crucial half-century in the first innings and formed a significant partnership with Marsh. His wicket-keeping was also commendable. The 32-year-old is showing why he has been a good pick in an important Ashes series.

Usman Khawaja – 7

Khawaja scored a sparkling half-century in the first innings to set up a foundation for the middle order. He looked extremely calm and in control throughout his innings. However, the conditions in the second innings seemed to be difficult for him.

David Warner – 6.5

Even though he failed to convert the good start into a big score, Warner contributed 47 in the first innings. But the opener struggled in challenging conditions in the second innings. According to his own standards, he had a silent match and will be looking forward to scoring a sizeable knock in Perth.

Steven Smith – 6

Despite being sledged from the England players, Smith chipped in with a neat 40 in the first innings. However, in the second innings, he struggled to tackle the swing. His decision to not enforce the follow-on may have appeared a bit strange. However, Australia went on to win comfortably in the end.

Peter Handscomb – 5.5

Handscomb scored a fighting 36 in the first innings but failed to make an impression in the second innings. He did not have the right footwork and missed a lot of drives on the front foot.

Cameron Bancroft – 3

Bancroft was unlucky to be run out in the first innings. In the second innings, he had to face England's seamers under lights with the new ball. The 25-year old ended up falling victim to Anderson.

England

James Anderson's splendid spell was one of the few positives for England

James Anderson – 8.5

Anderson showed his class and experience by picking up five wickets in the second innings. The 35-year-old didn’t start well in the first innings as he kept bowling short. However, he rectified his lengths in the second innings to trigger a collapse.

Craig Overton – 8

For a debutant, Overton's performance was certainly commendable. He started by picking the prized scalp of Steven Smith. The seamer ended up taking 3 wickets in the first innings. He also scored a handy 41 towards the end of the first innings.

Chris Woakes – 7.5

Woakes came into his own in the second innings. Bowling a probing line, he helped England get rid of Warner, Smith and Marsh. The all-rounder also chipped in with a reasonable 36 in the first innings.

Jonny Bairstow - 6.5

Bairstow kept well in the match and will look forward to continuing his performance in the rest of the series. He had a decent outing with the bat but could have probably stayed longer at the crease. The right-hander scored 36 in the second innings. However, he lacked support at the other end.

Joe Root – 6

Root was heavily criticized for his bold decision to bowl first on a flat surface. He failed in the first innings but fought hard in the second essay to give England a shot at winning the game. The skipper's inability to convert his starts into big scores continued to be a problem for his team.

Mark Stoneman – 5.5

Stoneman seemed to be in decent touch in both innings and would probably be disappointed at not getting a big score. A bit more experience should help him get accustomed to playing in a high-profile series such as the Ashes.

Stuart Broad – 5.5

Broad used his experience by bowling in the right areas. However, he managed to take only 2 wickets in the entire match. Even though his economy rate was excellent, the veteran's inability to pick wickets pulled down England.

Dawid Malan – 5

Malan contributed 19 and 29 in the first and second innings respectively. However, just his team mates, he failed to convert his start into a big score. He needs a substantial knock to prevent critics from attacking his place in the team.

Alastair Cook – 4.5

The 32-year-old looked at regaining his form in the first innings. But Lyon managed to outsmart him with a stellar delivery. Cook perished to Lyon in the second innings as well. The next match could be a massive match for the seasoned campaigner.

Moeen Ali – 4

The all-rounder could not influence the game from either department. Carrying a niggle, Moeen was unable to find his rhythm. In the batting department, he was always going to be tested by the Australian bowling attack. Lyon removed him in both innings.

James Vince – 3

Vince gave his wicket away in both innings by playing poor shots. He has to improve his composure and temperament in order to remain playing at the crucial number three spot in a weak batting lineup.