![8hz97meh7u.jpg](https://img.esteem.ws/8hz97meh7u.jpg)
[source](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/ashes-2019-england-australia-draw-series-2-2-history-repeats-after-47-years/story-dNl6ExvE3vmlln6kCpmv3H.html)


So the Ashes is finally over and I was trying to work out who would be the happiest of the two teams. The Ashes were drawn so Australia gets to keep them as they are the holders from winning it outright the last time around.

I think both sides would be happy with the result as the teams are a lot closer than we would like to think. England without Anderson were rather toothless until they bought in Joffra Archer. He became the new hope which must have pissed Broad off a tad as he suddenly found form and came to the party.
![c3k6jhcfc0.jpg](https://img.esteem.ws/c3k6jhcfc0.jpg)
[source](https://www.sportingnews.com/au/cricket/news/ashes-cricket-2019-australia-england-test-david-warner-steve-smith/f71jf27po75c1vophm7yzlb9j)
Good to see both sides sharing a drink after the game.


If we dissect the England performance there were a few standouts who carried the team throughout the 5 tests. Archer and Broad followed by Stokes and believe it or not Jack Leach. He may not have done much but he hung around as a supporting batsmen for Stokes long enough to win the 4th test. Very few tail enders could have done what he did and he deserves the mention.

Other English players chipped in with vital contributions such as Burns and Denly. There were some notable failures with the bat such as Bairstow who has been Mr Reliable for England up until this series.

Looking at Australia if they didn't have Steve Smith they would have lost the series. He was the difference between the two sides as his contributions were massive with the bat. Hazelwood and Lyon were good along with Cummins and Patterson. Labaushane was bought in as a concussion replacement for Smith and was their second highest run getter in the series.

Failures who didn't do very much were Warner and Paine. The Australians problem lay in their opening partnership and must be a worry going forward. They have the bowlers but without Smith they don't really have a reliable batting line up. No wonder the Australians were happy to welcome back Smith after his ban as he has become their go to batsmen.

I think both sides can improve and it is in similar areas . Both wicket keepers need to be able to bat more consistently as they are in that role as no team today just has a wicket keeper, they need to be able to bat as well. What i found funny is both teams have an extra wicket keeper as a batsmen already in Wade and Buttler and they scored more runs than their closest competition in Bairstow and Paine.

Anderson was sorely missed by England like Starc was for Australia as a swing /seam bowler makes a huge difference to the variation of the attack. Maybe England would have been stronger overall if Anderson, Broad and Archer were bowling together. I am glad the series was shared in the end as it made for interesting viewing. Looking forward to the next one in Australia in two years time.