The Ashes: Stuart Broad delivers verdict on England's bowling unit after series defeat Down Under

England's batters have taken quite the battering after numerous collapses contributed to a fourth successive Ashes series defeat in Australia.

But how have the bowlers fared?

Stuart Broad, England's second‑highest Test wicket‑taker of all time and part of the squad that triumphed 3-1 Down Under in 2010/11, runs the rule over the tourists' seamers, looking at whose stock has risen, whose England career may be over, who simply cannot take the new ball and whose body language must improve going forward…

"He exposes a full length, has got Steve Smith out three times in Test cricket and twice in county cricket, and bowls with a slightly different angle: wider of the crease, but can move the ball away.

"He needs protecting in the sense that he is going to bowl bad balls, so you need someone in the bowling attack that will defend and hold an area, but Tongue has done himself the world of good being on this trip."

"That doesn't matter so much when you're playing teams you should dominate and beat, but not against top teams, so his areas of improvement aren't attributes or mental ability to cope with pressure but letting your team know you are leading this group.

"I read a piece about Tiger Woods, who would never look at the floor when golfing. His eyes would always be above the horizon, which is really strong for body language.

"When I was under pressure or struggling I would keep my eyes above the horizon because then someone couldn't tell if I'd bowled a good or bad ball. You're constantly in the battle and your opposition cannot feel like they are getting on top of you."

"I liked the fact that he adjusted at the MCG and went over the wicket as when I watched at Adelaide he was trying to bowl round the wicket with in-swing to the left-handers. Your margin for error is absolutely tiny and your mode of dismissal minimal.

"You're aiming to hit someone in line with off stump and hit leg stump swinging the ball in. If it doesn't swing, you get cut. If it swings too much, you get clipped.

"He bowled really well day two in Melbourne but before this Test he'd gone three Tests in a row at five runs an over as a main bowler. I'd expect that from your fifth seamer or maybe if you're taking a gamble on someone. You can make your captain look silly if you're going at five an over every single spell because you have fielders everywhere."

"I text [England director of cricket] Rob Key at 7am saying Stokes has got to start. He's our best bowler at hitting the top of the stumps.

"I feel like a lot of people are seeing that apart from maybe Stokes underestimating himself as a bowler or maybe saying it's not his job and trusting the boys in the team to get the wickets."

"I know he's gone home injured but he played three Tests out of five, which is a pretty good return from someone who's not played much Test cricket.

"I'm not sure we will see Wood again in an England shirt, unfortunately. He's tried absolutely everything but it's three years of pain throughout his body now."

"Ultimately, day one of the series was one of the best bowling displays you'll see from an England team. They blew Australia away with raw pace on a pitch that moved about.

"Where it's been difficult to watch is the lack of ability to hit the top of the stumps and at The Gabba it was one of the worst displays of bowling you'll ever wish to see in your life.

"Australia came close to breaking the record for the number of runs scored behind square on the off-side. The cut ball is the worst ball you can bowl in Test cricket because you're not just missing a line but you're also missing length at the same time.

"Travis Head is a very good cutter of the ball and so those numbers have grown because of his quality at the top of the order. But, ultimately, England's bowling to left-handers has been very poor. That's been a major problem."