Sherbrooke's Barents Sea action: buying time

Was Sherbrooke's skill or declining German destroyer skill what carried the Battle of the Barents Sea?

Sherbrooke was a capable, aggressive commander, but the key achievement was holding off a stronger threat long enough to protect the convoy and gain time.

The result cannot be reduced to German weakness. Sherbrooke was an aggressive, experienced Tribal-class destroyer officer, and British escorts were increasingly available for offensive action in 1942. The convoy escort still lacked the weapons to defeat the stronger force outright. Its success lay in refusing to concede ground and buying time without losing the convoy until Burnett's force could influence the action.