发布时间: 1/9/2026
Match Scorecard Recap
England: 384 (Root 160; Neser 4-60) & 342 (Bethell 154; Webster 3-64, Starc 3-72)
Australia: 567 (Head 163, Smith 138; Tongue 3-97) & 161-5 (Labuschagne 37, Tongue 3-42)
*Result: Australia won by five wickets, taking the series 4-1*
England’s Disastrous Ashes Tour Ends in Sydney Defeat
England’s hopes of salvaging their 2025-26 Ashes tour were crushed on the final day at Sydney Cricket Ground, as Australia chased down a target of 160 after lunch to seal a five-wicket victory and a commanding 4-1 series triumph. This marks Australia’s fourth consecutive Ashes win on home soil, extending their unbroken grip on the urn that first began back in 2018. For England, though, this tour will go down as one of their most disappointing in recent memory—billed as a golden chance to compete Down Under, they never recovered from a shocking two-day loss in the first Test in Perth.
Despite being hit by a string of injuries, including to captain Pat Cummins, Australia dominated from start to finish, proving once again why they’re the dominant force in home Ashes series. Their consistency over the years has been unmatched, and this latest win cements their status as the team to beat when the urn is on the line in Australia. For England, this was the humiliating conclusion to a tour riddled with setbacks, from poor preparation to off-field scandals and key player injuries.
Bazball’s Promise Fizzles Out Down Under
This tour was supposed to be the crowning moment for England’s Bazball approach, a bold, aggressive style of cricket they’d spent 18 months perfecting with the hope of challenging Australia on their home turf. Instead, it ended in embarrassment, with England failing to adapt to the harsh Australian conditions and crumbling under pressure. This is the fourth successive Ashes tour where England have lost at least four Tests, and since 2000, they’ve suffered 27 defeats in 35 matches in Australia—with only three of their five wins coming in the memorable 2010-11 series, their only series victory here in the last 40 years.
Many of England’s key players wilted under the unforgiving spotlight. Ollie Pope was dropped after just three Tests, the once-reliable opening pair of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett fell apart completely, and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith looked a shadow of his usual self. Spinner Shoaib Bashir, who was earmarked for this tour over a year ago, didn’t even get to play a single Test. Injuries only made things worse: Mark Wood may have played his last game for England after returning home with a knee injury, Jofra Archer’s impressive run was cut short by a side strain in the third Test, and Gus Atkinson missed the Sydney Test with a hamstring issue. On the bright side, pace bowler Josh Tongue emerged with his reputation significantly boosted, and Jacob Bethell’s stunning century in the final Test was a late, bittersweet silver lining—though many fans are left wondering why England didn’t give him a chance sooner. Joe Root finally scored his first Test hundred in Australia, a rare highlight for the tourists, but even he and Ben Stokes couldn’t turn the tide. Stokes may get one more shot at the Ashes in four years, but for Root, this could be his last chance to win the urn Down Under.
Off-Field Chaos Adds to England’s Misery
It wasn’t just on-field struggles that plagued England’s tour—off-field issues also dominated the headlines and distracted from their performance. The team was widely criticized for their preparation, which took place in conditions far removed from what they faced in Australia, leaving them ill-equipped to handle the pace and bounce of the home pitches. They also seemed caught off guard by the hostile attention from the Australian media, particularly early in the tour.
In Perth, players were followed to golf courses and even an aquarium, while in Brisbane, photos emerged of players riding e-scooters without helmets, a violation that can result in a fine under Queensland law. Things got even more tense when a member of England’s security staff was involved in an altercation with a TV cameraman at Brisbane airport, following the team’s infamous holiday in Noosa where some players were investigated by director of cricket Rob Key for excessive drinking. Images of players lounging on the beach and socializing in bars will stick in fans’ minds just as much as their poor on-field performances, raising questions about the team’s discipline and focus.
Final Day Drama in Sydney’s Sunshine
Heading into the final day, England clung to a slim hope of turning things around, with Jacob Bethell unbeaten on 142 after his spectacular debut century the previous day. The team was 119 runs ahead with just two wickets in hand, but Australia had other plans. They took the second new ball five overs into the day, and though Bethell overturned an lbw decision against Scott Boland, he eventually edged a delivery from Mitchell Starc to end his innings on 154. Starc then cleaned up last man Josh Tongue, leaving Australia needing 160 runs to secure the series win.
England fought hard to disrupt Australia’s chase, but a controversial moment came when Jake Weatherald survived a caught-behind appeal off Brydon Carse—despite small movement on Snicko technology, TV umpire Chris Gaffaney upheld the not-out decision, leaving the England camp furious. Carse had to be pulled away from on-field umpire Ahsan Raza, and Ben Stokes later spoke to Raza about consistency in decision-making. Weatherald made the most of his reprieve, scoring 34 before being dismissed by Tongue, who also dismissed Travis Head for 29. After lunch, Will Jacks bowled Steve Smith with a brilliant off-break, but Australia kept their cool under pressure.
Usman Khawaja, playing his 88th and final Test, got a heartfelt guard of honour from England when he came out to bat, though he only scored six before chopping on to Tongue and departing to a rapturous ovation from the crowd, performing a sajdah in front of the pavilion to mark his retirement. England’s luck didn’t improve when Bethell dropped Marnus Labuschagne at gully off Tongue, though Labuschagne was later run out for 37 in a messy mix-up with Alex Carey. There was a moment of lighthearted farce when both Carey and Cameron Green almost ended up at the same end, but both survived the run-out chance. In the end, it was classic end-of-term fun: the Barmy Army sang their full songbook, Alex Carey hit the winning runs, and the 2025-26 Ashes series was officially wrapped up.
Australia’s Dominance Continues, Eyes on 2027 Ashes
While England’s tour was a complete disaster, Australia once again showed why they’re the undisputed kings of home Ashes cricket—even with a severely depleted squad. Captain Pat Cummins played only one Test due to a back injury, star seamer Josh Hazlewood didn’t play at all, and leading spinner Nathan Lyon was limited to a bit-part role because of unhelpful pitch conditions and an injury of his own. Yet they still secured the series with what was effectively a second or third-choice bowling attack.
Left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc was devastating throughout the series, finishing with 31 wickets, Travis Head’s promotion to open in Perth was a defining tactical masterstroke, and Alex Carey was magnificent behind the stumps with his sharp wicket-keeping and crucial batting contributions. That said, not all Australian players were consistently at their best, which only highlights how poor England’s overall performance was.
Looking ahead to the 2027 Ashes series in England, Australia has some key questions to answer. They’ll need to settle on a permanent opener, find a reliable number three batsman, solidify their all-rounder spot, and lock in their frontline spinner for away conditions. Their ultimate goal? Secure their first away Ashes win since 2001. With the next series just 18 months away, the hype is already starting to build, and cricket fans around the world will be eager to see if Australia can extend their dominance or if England can bounce back from this disastrous tour to challenge for the urn on home soil.