WITH England's cricketers back on home soil for Christmas, Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson picks out the successes and failures from a particularly unsuccessful tour of Pakistan.

BATSMEN

Andrew Strauss:

3 Awful in the Test series, with his four innings producing just 44 runs. Criticised for missing the final Test to be at the birth of his child, but his homecoming at least brought about a minor improvement in the one-dayers. His place, at least in the shortened form of the game, is under threat.

Marcus Trescothick:

6One of England's few batting successes in the Test series, despite his imperious 193 counting for nothing in Multan. Stood in for Michael Vaughan during the unsuccessful one-day series, but did not look comfortable in the captaincy role.

Michael Vaughan:

3 His lack of form is now a major cause for concern. Averaged just 20 in the Test series - a figure that was bettered by both Shaun Udal and Ashley Giles. Injury curtailed his tour, but cannot explain a succession of cheap dismissals.

Ian Bell:

7Started the tour with his place under threat, but finished it agains as an established part of England's top order. His controlled 115 helped the tourists draw the second Test and he finished top of the Test batting averages. Only made one appearance in the one-dayers, but finished unbeaten

Kevin Pietersen:

5Showed flashes of brilliance, but rarely displayed the patience needed to prosper on the Asian sub-continent. His sparkling century lit up the second Test, but his propensity to sweep and pull repeatedly left him vulnerable. Batted well in his two one-day appearances

Vikram Solanki:

4Scrapped in the five one-dayers, but did little to suggest he has the talent to solve England's batting problems. Often asked to bat down the order - hardly a good sign given the tourists' current lack of one-day runs.

ALL-ROUNDERS:

Andrew Flintoff:

8Courted controversy by picking up the Sports Personality of the Year Award at three in the morning, but was regularly the brightest of England's players. Gave his all with the ball on a series of unreceptive wickets, and topped England's batting in the one-day series. It is to be hoped his ankle injury is not too serious

Paul Collingwood:

7Struggled in the first Test, but came close to squaring the series with knocks of 96 and 80 on his recall in Lahore. Contributed in all of the limited overs games and remains an integral part of England's one-day side

Ian Blackwell:

4Flattered to deceive with both bat and ball in the one-dayers and should find his place under threat this summer. Yet another so-called 'bits and pieces' player whose overall contribution is negligible

WICKETKEEPERS:

Geraint Jones:

6Arrived in Pakistan as a suspect wicketkeeper but reliable batsman - left the country with his stump work being praised and his batting coming in for criticism. Did not make enough runs in either form of the game, but missed little in a demanding environment

Matt Prior:

4One impressive opening knock does not mean he is the pinch-hitting answer to England's one-day conundrum. His batting power means he will always be dangerous, but top-class opening bowlers will generally find him out

BOWLERS:

Steve Harmison:

6Strained every sinew in the Test series, but did not get the rewards his effort deserved. Took a one-day hiding in Karachi, but recovered to impress in the final rubber. The Ashington Express will hardly be looking forward to more flat-track action in India in the spring

Matthew Hoggard:

4Took 11 wickets in three games during the Tests and did not make the squad for the one-day series. Hardly a tour to be proud of, although his bowling is particularly unsuited to Pakistani conditions

Ashley Giles:

3This should have been the series when Giles crowned his renaissance but, instead, he flopped while Pakistan's spinners took wickets galore. Three wickets for 247 runs is simply not good enough, although a hip injury offers at least some explanation

Liam Plunkett:

9 The undisputed star of the series, Plunkett announced his arrival on the international scene with a succession of eye-catching displays. Took two wickets on his Test debut, and followed that up with seven more in the one-day series. Also hit some useful lower-order runs to impress Duncan Fletcher

James Anderson:

6Failed to appear in the Test series, but topped England's bowling averages in the one-dayers. Struggled - like everyone else - in Karachi, but bounced back to put himself in the frame for a Test recall. His four-wicket haul in the final rubber underlined his enduring ability

Kabir Ali:

6While his back-up bowling was consistent enough in the one-dayers, his lower-order batting caught the eye. He almost managed to help England over the line as they scrapped to save the series and could well be one for the future

Shaun Udal:

3Failed to justify his selection with a series of unconvincing displays. Three Test wickets for 277 runs was a dreadful return on wickets that helped the spinners, and the poor return resulted in him being overlooked for four of the five one-dayers.