Aussies set embarrassing world record in 113-year first for cricket
Australia may have retained the Ashes, but there are certainly plenty of issues to sort out heading into the Australian summer of cricket.
Steve Smith enjoyed the the greatest single series by a batsman this century, Matthew Wade and Marnus Labuschagne cemented their places in the XI, and the bowlers were typically superb.
But the glaring weakness lies with our openers.
When Marcus Harris was dismissed for 9 on the morning of day four at The Oval, it marked the 14th time in the series that one of Australia’s openers made a single-figure score.
To put that into context, the previous world record was 13 times set by England in South Africa in 1905-06.
ALL-TIME TEST RECORD ALERT:
With Harris' dismissal today, Australia's openers have amassed 14 single-figure scores this series - a record for a team in a Test series.
Previously: 13, by England in SA in 1905-06. Four teams have had 12. Previous Ashes record: 11. #Ashes2019— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) September 15, 2019
Warner also achieved the ignominious feat of being dismissed for the most single-figure scores by an opening batsman in one series ever.
His 95 runs at an average of 9.50 were also the lowest in a series of at least 10 innings.
Fewest runs opening the batting in 10+ inns in a Test series:
95 (avg 9.50) DA Warner Aus v Eng 2019
136 (avg 13.60) JW D'Arcy NZ v Eng 1958
164 (avg 16.40) PH Punjabi Ind v Pak 1954/55#bbccricket— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) September 15, 2019
Warner’s only innings of substance was a gritty 61 in the third Test at Headingley.
He was dismissed seven times by Stuart Broad and on three occasions by Jofra Archer.
The Sydneysider, who has scored over 6400 Test runs in a 79-match career, has never scored a century in three overseas Ashes series, but is experiencing his leanest run in at the crease since making his debut against New Zealand in 2011.
His return of 95 runs with the bat usurped the previous worst series by an Australian top-six player since Peter Toohey in the 1978-79 Ashes.
Toohey was dismissed for less than 10 seven times but did manage to score an unbeaten 81 in addition to a 32 and 20 to inflate his average to 16.5 in five-Test series.
The most recent case of a similarly torrid run was Kim Hughes in 1984 when he had six single-figure scores against the West Indies which ended in a tearful captaincy resignation at the Gabba.
DAVID WARNER'S TALE OF WOE IN THE 2019 ASHES SERIES:
* First Test Edgbaston:
First innings - lbw Broad 2
Second innings - c Bairstow b Broad 8
* Second Test Lord's
First innings - b Broad 3
Second innings - c Burns b Archer 5
* Third Test at Headingley
First innings - c Bairstow b Archer 61
Second innings - lbw Broad 0
* Fourth Test at Old Trafford:
First innings - c Bairstow b Broad 0
Second innings - lbw Broad
* Fifth Test at The Oval
First innings c Bairstow b Archer 5
Second innings c Burns b Broad 11
with AAP