Fifth Ashes Test, Sydney Cricket Ground (Day 5 of 5)
England 384: Root 160; Nessel 4-60 &342： Bethel 154; Webster 3-64, Stark 3-72
Australia 567: Head 163, Smith 138; tongue 3-97 & 161-5: Labuschagne 37, Tongue 3-42
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Australia won by five wickets to win the series 4-1
scorecard
England’s brutal Ashes tour ended with five defeats in the fifth Test as Australia claimed a 4-1 series victory.
Australia chased a target of 160 in the sunshine at the Sydney Cricket Ground after lunch on the final day.
Plagued by injuries including captain Pat Cummins, Australia once again dominated the Ashes at home – their fourth consecutive series win in Australia – and extended their tenure on the Urn, which began in 2018.
For England, it was the end of one of their most disappointing Ashes tours in recent memory.
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It was billed as a golden opportunity to at least play in the country, but the failure of the first Test in Perth two days later meant the visitors never recovered from the shocking implosion.
A lack of adequate preparation, intense scrutiny of off-field activities, coupled with poor form and injuries to key players, saw England lose their first three Tests and abandon the series early on.
Ben Stokes’ side are playing at least their fourth Test in Melbourne, their first Test win in this country since 2011, but the two-day penalty shootout on grass pitches was an exception in a series that has suffered a setback.
Despite a groin injury, Stokes was able to lead his side into their final match in Sydney. The all-rounder said that he wants to continue as captain and his fitness seems to be the only obstacle in his continued captaincy.
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There is increased pressure on head coach Brendan McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key. Both admitted the tour was a failure and expressed a desire to stay.
If they can prove to England and Wales Cricket Board management that the men’s national team squad has improved, they look set to get their chance.
That starts with the T20 World Cup and Sri Lanka’s white-ball tour starting in two weeks’ time.
Bazballers are broken down
It should have been a crowning glory for the Bazball program, a series England have been fighting for for 18 months and one that McCullum said could “define” his team.
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Ultimately, they were defined as yet another English team to be beaten badly in Australia. This is the fourth time in a row that England have lost at least four Test matches on the Ashes tour.
This century alone, England’s record in the country is 27 defeats in 35 games. Three of their five Test wins in that period came in the brilliant 2010-11 season – the only series England have won here in the past 40 years.
The English players coming into this tour have languished. Ollie Pope played three Test matches before being dropped, the previously successful opening partnership of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett collapsed, and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was a shadow of his best.
Spinner Shoaib Bashir, who was earmarked for this tour more than a year ago, did not take part in the Tests.
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As with previous Ashes tours, England have been plagued by injuries. Mark Wood may not play for England again after returning from a knee problem and Jofra Archer’s impressive tour was ended by a side strain in the third Test. Gus Atkinson has been ruled out for Sydney with a hamstring problem.
Pace bowler Josh Tongue’s reputation was boosted, while Jacob Bethell’s senior century in the final Test was a belated glimmer of hope. If only England had backed Bethell months ago.
Joe Root finally scored a Test hundred in Australia to give England their best moment of the tour, but it was an Ashes tour again where Root and Stokes – two of England’s greats – were on the wrong end of a blow. Root may get another chance in four years’ time, but Stokes almost certainly won’t.
Stokes backed McCallum, who also received public support from Key. While this management is not alone in presiding over England’s failed Ashes tour, much of the scrutiny has come from problems that could have been avoided.
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England have chosen a squad that leaves them with few options if things go wrong and prepare players in conditions far removed from those encountered in Tests.
As well as being unprepared for the challenges on the pitch, the visitors seemed surprised by the hostile attention from the Australian media, particularly at the start of the tour.
In Perth, England players were followed to golf courses and even the aquarium. In Brisbane, they were filmed riding e-scooters without helmets, which is punishable by fines under Queensland law. An England security guard got into an argument with a TV cameraman as they prepared to take off from Brisbane Airport.
The flight to Brisbane took off at the end of England’s notorious Noosa holiday break and Key investigated the time some players spent drinking in Noosa. The image of England’s players on beaches and in pubs will be as enduring as anything that happens on the pitch.
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last dance in the sun sydney
302-8, 119 runs overnight, England’s hopes of putting pressure on Australia rested on Besser, who remained unbeaten on 142 after a stunning debut on Wednesday.
Australia got their second new ball in five overs when Bethell overturned Scott Boland’s lbw, only to be edged out by Mitchell Starc. The brilliant Starc then lured last man Tongue into extra cover.
In the battle for wickets, England were left infuriated as Jake Weatherald survived an appeal for being caught behind Brydon Carse in what was also the final controversy of the Snicker tour.
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Weatherard was also suspended under review by TV referee Chris Gaffaney for not playing, although there was little change in Snicko’s technique. Kars had to leave on-field umpire Ahsan Raza and Stokes later spoke to him about “consistency”.
Weatherald shot 16 and later moved up to 34 before being bounced by Tongue, who also had a head hole in the leg side, shooting 29. England ignored Matthew Potts, Bethell bowled the first change, and Will Jacks struck Steve Smith with a superb breakaway just after lunch.
Usman Khawaja, who earlier led Australia in his 88th and final Test, was given a guard of honor by England when he came out to bat. Khawaja batted just six balls before chopping off his tongue, leaving to loud applause and fasting in front of the pavilion.
England suffered their final defeat – their 18th of the series – when Besser shelled Marnus Labuschagne in the gully near the tongue. Labuschagne was bowled out for 37 against Alex Carey.
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The hints of drama continued when Kyrie and Cameron Green nearly played together, but both survived the last chance.
This is the final thing. The Barmy Army completed their song set, Carey emerged victorious and the Ashes series was over.
Australia eyes 2027
Despite England’s poor performance, Australia once again found a way to win comfortably in their home Ashes series.
They did so with captain Cummins playing just one Test due to a back injury, teammate Josh Hazlewood not playing at all and leading spinner Nathan Lyon restricted to a small role due to conditions and his own injury.
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Just like that, Australia once again got their hands on the treasure chest with their second and even third choice bowling attack.
Left-arm seamer Starc’s 31 wickets were devastating, Head’s opener in Perth was the series-defining moment and Carey was superb behind the stumps.
The fact that there weren’t many players in the home team who could say they were consistently at their best further highlighted England’s wastefulness.
Oddly, the Ashes champions still have many questions to answer as they prepare for the next series against England in 2027 – with the identity of the opener, number three, all-rounder and frontline spinner all likely to be a bone of contention.
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Australia will be searching for those answers as they search for the secret to a first away win since 2001. That game is only 18 months away. No doubt the hype will begin soon.
