‘Boiling point’ – Steve Harmison dishes out tough player ratings as England flop in second Ashes Test

The second Ashes Test is over, and Steve Harmison’s player ratings are in.

The England legend has been watching every ball at The Gabba, and he hasn’t been impressed with what he’s seen.

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England threw away a good position to go down 2-0 in the series after some poor batting, bowling and fielding.

Australia were better in all departments, and despite Joe Root‘s first century Down Under, it was all in vain.

Ben Stokes and co now head to Adelaide for the third Test knowing they have to win or they’ve officially lost The Ashes again.

And here is how Harmy scored the players, and some of the ratings aren’t pretty…

England

Zak Crawley – 6

Harmy’s verdict: “He got off to a good start with 76 after what happened in Perth.

“44 in the second innings but probably could and should have got more, but it was two soft dismissals probably just gets him a six.

“More encouraging signs from Zak, but same old same old in the ways he got out.”

Ben Duckett – 3

Harmy’s verdict: “Only 15 runs in the match, and he dropped a couple of catches – I think that says it all.

“He’s had a difficult time in Australia, and England need him to stand up because Duckett has been one of the best opening batters in world cricket over the last couple of years.

“Unfortunately, for one reason or another, he hasn’t been able to hit the ground running the way a lot of people were hoping for.”

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Ollie Pope – 3

Harmy’s verdict: “Ollie Pope is three as well. Nought in the first innings. Airy-fairy shot in the second innings.

“26 runs in the match, so he’s in the same boat as Ben Duckett. He’s never looked comfortable at the crease for the first 20 or 30 balls.

“I think with the bounce of the ball and the quality of the bowlers that is being magnified that little bit more.”

Joe Root – 8

Harmy’s verdict: “I don’t think that first century is big for him. In my eyes, he was a great before he got the 100 – he didn’t need the 100.

“But now he’s got it, and it was a brilliant innings.

“You could just see some of Joe’s frustrations when he was at slip of what was going on around him.

“He’s a great player who is seeing things that he isn’t enjoying at this moment in time.

“But if anybody was doubting his greatness, he’s just nailed to the wall that he is a great, and people in Australia now know he’s great.”

Harry Brook – 4

Harmy’s verdict: “It’s a four for Harry Brook. It probably should have been more.

“Harry Brook is not a young player anymore. He’s young in age, but he’s played 32 Test matches, and Harry doesn’t need a world-class number 11 like me to tell him that some of the shot executions are not there.

“His first innings was frantic. Second innings wasn’t much better, so Harry gets a four rather than a three.”

Ben Stokes – 6

Harmy’s verdict: “Ben Stokes gets a six. His fighting quality with the ball. His partnership with Will Jacks.

“I think we’d be even further behind if it wasn’t for Root and Stokes.

“Ben is at boiling point at this moment in time. But he got 19 in the first innings and ran himself out.

“But I could understand that. I didn’t mind the run out because I could see what they were trying in difficult conditions.

“Then 50 in the second innings, where he batted a long time to try another miracle, but England weren’t up to the task.”

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Jamie Smith – 3

Harmy’s verdict: “Jamie Smith is three. He’s having a difficult time at the minute. He dropped a catch and only got four runs in the match.

“There are questions whether Pope should take the gloves and give Jamie Smith a break.

“I think a lot of this kid. I think he is a smashing player.

“The captain and coach need to look him in the eye and decide if it’s right to leave him out or if it’s right to continue with him.

“If they leave him out, it’s not the end, and if they continue with him, it might galvanise him and give him some confidence.

“He’s not had a great start in Australia, and he didn’t have the greatest of Test matches.

“I would stick with him, but he unfortunately gets a three.”

Will Jacks – 6

Harmy’s verdict: “Will Jacks gets a six. He didn’t bowl that much, and that’s not his fault.

“The captain tells you when to bowl, and I thought when he bowled, he bowled quite well.

“In the first innings, he got 19 and batted OK. In the second innings with Stokes, I thought he showed a lot of qualities we need from our top six, which was understanding the value of your wicket, shot selection, shot execution and taking risks in your favour.

“This is instead of the kamikaze shots that some of the other batters were doing.”

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Fast bowlers – 5

Harmy’s verdict: “The three fast bowlers get a five.

“I thought Gus Atkinson was unlucky, but I think all three bowlers found themselves a little bit unlucky.

“Gus bowled well early on in the first innings, and he picked up a couple of cheap wickets in the second innings, which he deserved.

“I still think all three are miles short of having enough bowling to be ready for Australia and The Ashes.

“Brydon Carse was expensive, but I could relate to him for what he was being asked to do, which the short-ball tactic.

“He did a job for his team. He wasn’t at his best, but he never gave in, and the energy levels were there, and he picked up four wickets, which is what he is in the team to do.

“Jofra Archer frustrated me a little bit because when the team needed him to bowl at 90mph – that wasn’t there.

“Then he was bowling at 90mph when the game was finished because he had a little duel with Steve Smith.

“I thought he bowled really well with Atkinson at the start of day one, but all of England’s bowlers have got tired very, very quickly and their speeds have been down as the game goes on, which is not ideal when you are playing Test match cricket.

“I don’t think we had the miles in our legs to bowl 25 overs each, and I don’t think their bodies were ready.

“Then at the end between Archer and Smith, that made me feel a lot worse because where was that on day two?”