Australia wrapped up a dominant Ashes series with a five-wicket victory over England on the final day of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The win sealed a 4-1 series triumph for the hosts, underlining their superiority after a chastening tour for Ben Stokes's side.
Nervy Chase Sealed by Carey
Chasing a target of 160 runs, Australia experienced a few wobbles before wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey fittingly struck the winning boundary. His drive through extra cover off Will Jacks at around 2.30pm local time sparked celebrations with Cameron Green, concluding the match and the series. The victory was built on a foundation of consistent excellence from Australia's key players throughout the five Tests.
England's Missed Opportunities
For England, the defeat in Sydney encapsulated their tour, marked by a nagging sense of missed chances. The team will rue insufficient first-innings runs, dropped catches, and periods of loose bowling that allowed Australia to seize control. Their sole victory came in the second Test in Melbourne, with the Ashes lost in a record-equalling 11 days of cricket. Promising moments, like Jacob Bethell's 154 in Sydney, were overshadowed by overall underperformance, particularly with the bat.
Australia's key contributors were manifold. Travis Head amassed a monstrous 629 series runs, while Mitchell Starc's left-arm menace yielded 31 wickets. The accuracy of Scott Boland and the all-round contributions of Alex Carey, both behind the stumps and with the bat, proved decisive. England's bowling attack too often offered boundary balls, a stark contrast to Australia's discipline.
Final Day Drama at the SCG
The final day's play provided drama for a crowd of 26,000, taking total attendance past 200,000 for the first time in the SCG's history. Australia's chase stuttered after a lively start. Josh Tongue, England's most encouraging seamer on tour, removed Travis Head for 29 and Usman Khawaja for 6, the latter bowled to end a fine Test career. Steve Smith was bowled by a beauty from Will Jacks for 12.
The tension briefly spiked when Marnus Labuschagne was run out by Matthew Potts for 37, leaving Australia 39 runs to win with five wickets in hand. However, Carey and the tall all-rounder Cameron Green calmly steadied the ship, extinguishing England's faint hopes. Earlier, England had added only 40 runs to their overnight 302 for eight before Starc, who finished with a superb series strike-rate of 29.6, mopped up the tail.
The result leaves England with much to ponder, while Australia celebrates a comprehensive retention of the Ashes urn, demonstrating superior skill and resilience across the extended contest.
