5 players who disappointed the most in the 2015 Ashes

England defeated Australia 3-2 in the 2015 AshesEngland regained the urn by defeating Australia 3-2 in the recently concluded 2015 Ashes.There was a lot of talk before the start of the series about the quality of the English side, but they managed to silence the critics after coming out on top against their bitter rivals.Both sides had some outstanding performers who lit up the series with their brilliant showing throughout the series. For the winners, Joe Root was handy with the bat while Ben Stokes proved his worth as an all-rounder. In spite of losing the urn, Australia can be proud of the way that Steven Smith and Chris Rogers batted.But there were some players who were overwhelmed by the pressure of the Ashes and clearly under-performed. Let’s have a look at five such players who were the most disappointing in the 2015 Ashes.

#5 Mark Wood

Wood picked up only 10 wickets in four Test matches

In a series that was dominated by the bowlers, Mark Wood’s presence in the list speaks volumes about how disappointing a series the England pacer had.

He played the first two Tests of the series and then came back in the last two tests as a replacement for James Anderson. However, he failed to test the opposition, picking up only ten wickets at an average of 39.10. His strike was also very high at 71.2.

With the plethora of options England has in the fast bowling department, Wood will have to up his game by a few notches if he wants to establish himself as a long-term prospect in the team.

#4 Ian Bell

Bell announced his retirement from ODI cricket in an effort to prlong his Test career after a disappointing Ashes

Whenever one talks about players that ooze of class and grace, Ian Bell’s name is one of the first that comes in mind. He has been a consistent run-scorer for England in the last few years and was the cornerstone of their last Ashes series victory at home. Once again, Bell was expected to lead the way for the English middle order.

Bell disappointed big time however with his performances in the Ashes. Though he might argue that he was dismissed with some great deliveries, with his experience and technique, he still would have hoped to fare better in the series. His average was an underwhelming 26.87 with an unbeaten 65 being his highest score.

He has recently announced retirement from the ODIs so as to prolong his test career.He would hope to score heaps of runs in the future else he might have to face the ire of his fans as well as the selectors.

#3 Jos Buttler

Butler scored only 122 runs in the Ashes series.

Jos Buttler is one of the most promising young talents to have come through the English ranks in the last few years. He is an attacking batsman who has the ability to take the game away from the opposition in a short span of time to add to his wicketkeeping abilities.

Buttler was expected to score heavily in the lower middle order and carry the tail with him in the series. But he disappointed one and all with his abysmal performances in the Ashes series where he managed to score just 122 runs in eight innings. He didn’t manage a single half-century with his highest score being 42.

With the talent he has and the form he has shown in the last few years, Buttler will be surely given a longer rope by the English selectors but he will have to make sure he doesn’t repeat such performances in the future.

#2 Michael Clarke

Clarke retired from international cricket after a disappointing Ashes campaign.

Michael Clarke came into the Ashes series entertaining the thoughts of winning the Ashes on English soil for the first time in his career. His own form was a little dodgy before the start of the series, but with the class and hunger for runs he had shown throughout his career, he was expected to lead the way for the Australians.

However, he had a forgettable Ashes which ultimately paved the way for his retirement. He managed to score just 132 runs in nine innings in the series at an average of 16.50 and struggled against the swing and pace of the English bowlers and also got out in an attempt to dominate Moeen Ali.

His exasperation at his own form was evident when he commented after the third Ashes Test that his side was playing with ten men. Having called time on his international career, The Pup must be wondering whether he could have done something different to help his side with the bat.

#1 Adam Lyth

Adam Lyth had a series to forget

Adam Lyth came into the series on the back of a prolific county form and a superb century against New Zealand at Leeds. He was expected to solve the opening quandary that England has been dealing with since the retirement of Andrew Strauss.

Instead, Lyth ended up as the most disappointing player in the Ashes. He managed to score a meagre 115 runs in nine innings at an average of 12.77. His tendency to square up against the swinging ball exposed him on a lot of occasions and was an easy wicket for the Australians throughout the series.

The selectors persisted with Lyth throughout the series but with Lyth failing to justify the backing he received, the usual tendency of English side to quickly do away with their openers could result in Lyth not getting another chance to prove his worth in international cricket.