Australia wrapped up a dominant 4-1 Ashes series triumph with an action-packed five-wicket victory on the final afternoon at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The win, achieved in front of a record aggregate series attendance of 859,580 spectators, cemented their superiority over an error-prone England side.
Controversial Start and England's Frustration
Chasing 160 for victory, Australia's openers Travis Head and Jake Weatherald provided a solid foundation with a stand of 62. The innings, however, began amidst controversy. On 16, Weatherald was given not out by TV umpire Kumar Dharmasena despite a tremor on Snicko as a Brydon Carse delivery passed his bat. England's reaction was heated, with Ben Stokes having to intervene and pull Carse away from a confrontation, and umpires stepping in on multiple occasions. The incident is likely to be reviewed by the match referee.
Key Wickets and a Fond Farewell
England's mood lifted when Head, after a brisk 29, was caught off Josh Tongue. Head finished an exemplary series with 629 runs at a strike-rate of 87, including defining centuries in Perth, Adelaide and Sydney. Weatherald fell soon after for 34, and Steve Smith removed Will Jacks for 12 after lunch. The crowd then witnessed an emotional moment as Usman Khawaja walked out to a guard of honour from the England fielders for his final international innings. His stay was brief, chopping on for six, but he left the field to a standing ovation, dropping to his knees to kiss the SCG turf after a career spanning 88 Tests and 6,299 runs.
Marnus Labuschagne's disappointing series continued when he was run out for 37 by a sharp throw from Matthew Potts, leaving Australia needing 39 runs. Despite a nervy moment between Alex Carey and Cameron Green, England were always a wicket behind the game. Carey sealed the win shortly before 2.30pm, driving Jacks through extra cover to complete a series where Australia were rarely at their best but consistently better than their opponents.
Starc Shines as Series Standout
Earlier, England had been bowled out for 342, with Jacob Bethell extending his maiden Test hundred to an impressive 154 before falling to Mitchell Starc with the new ball. Starc claimed the final wicket to finish with 31 wickets in the series, the most by a seamer since Mitchell Johnson's 37 in 2013-14. His contribution was monumental, especially given Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood played only one Test between them.
Mitchell Starc was a constant threat, dismissing Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes five times each, and Zak Crawley on four occasions. He and Head were the standout players in a series where Australia's key men delivered when it mattered most, while England's campaign ultimately faltered despite moments of promise.
