Australia Clinches 4-1 Ashes Series Win with Five-Wicket Victory in Sydney

Fifth Ashes Test, Sydney Cricket Ground (Day 5 of 5)

- England: 384 (Joe Root 160; Michael Neser 4-60) & 342 (Jacob Bethell 154; Henry Webster 3-64, Mitchell Starc 3-72)

- Australia: 567 (Travis Head 163, Steve Smith 138; Josh Tongue 3-97) & 161-5 (Marnus Labuschagne 37, Josh Tongue 3-42)

*Australia won by five wickets, claiming the series 4-1*

Scorecard

England’s forgettable 2025 Ashes tour came to a crushing end on the final day of the fifth Test at Sydney Cricket Ground, where Australia secured a five-wicket win to seal a dominant 4-1 series victory. After lunch under the bright Sydney sun, the home side chased down a target of 160 with relative ease, wrapping up their fourth consecutive Ashes series win on home soil and extending their grip on the urn that began back in 2018. Even with key injuries disrupting their lineup—including captain Pat Cummins—Australia once again proved unbeatable in their own backyard, while England was left to reflect on one of their most disappointing overseas tours in recent memory.

For England, this series was billed as a golden chance to finally compete Down Under, but they never recovered from an astonishing collapse in the first Test at Perth, which they lost in just two days. Plagued by inadequate preparation, off-field controversies, a slump in form, and injuries to star players, the tourists surrendered the series early with defeats in the first three Tests. The only bright spot came in Melbourne, where Ben Stokes’ side claimed a two-day win—their first Test victory in Australia since 2011—but that result was little more than a consolation in an otherwise dismal tour.

England’s Bazball Dream Crumbles Down Under

This Ashes series was supposed to be the crowning glory of England’s Bazball revolution, a style of play they’d honed over 18 months that head coach Brendon McCullum claimed would “define” his team. Instead, they joined a long list of England sides trounced on Australian soil, marking their fourth consecutive Ashes tour with at least four losses. Since the turn of the century, England’s record in Australia is a staggering 27 defeats from 35 matches, with only three of their five wins coming in the iconic 2010-11 series—the only time they’ve won the Ashes Down Under in the last 40 years.

Many of the players England backed for this tour wilted under pressure: Ollie Pope played just three Tests before being dropped, the once-successful opening pair of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett collapsed consistently, and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was a shadow of his usual self. Spinner Shoaib Bashir, earmarked for the tour over a year ago, didn’t get a single Test appearance. Injuries added to their woes: Mark Wood may have played his last Test for England after returning home with a knee problem, Jofra Archer’s impressive tour was cut short by a side strain in the third Test, and Gus Atkinson was ruled out of the Sydney Test with a hamstring injury.

Amid the disappointment, a few players emerged with their reputations intact. Pace bowler Josh Tongue impressed with consistent performances, taking 3-42 in Australia’s second innings to finish the series as one of England’s standout bowlers. Jacob Bethell’s sensational debut century in the final Test was a belated silver lining—many fans wondered if England would have fared better if they’d given him a chance months earlier. Joe Root provided England’s best moment of the tour by finally scoring a Test hundred in Australia, but even he and Stokes—two of England’s all-time greats—couldn’t turn the tide. Root may get another shot at the Ashes in four years, but for Stokes, this is almost certainly his last Down Under tour.

Stokes has publicly backed McCullum, who has also received support from director of cricket Rob Key. But while failed Ashes tours are nothing new for England, much of the criticism stems from avoidable mistakes: a squad that left them with no backup plans when things went wrong, training in conditions nothing like those they faced in Australia, and a lack of preparation for the hostile media attention that greeted them from the start. In Perth, players were followed to golf courses and even an aquarium; in Brisbane, they were pictured riding e-scooters without helmets, a violation of Queensland law that drew mockery. The tour started on a sour note with England’s infamous holiday in Noosa, where some players’ drinking habits were investigated by Key, and images of them on the beach and in bars will linger just as long as their on-field failures.

Final Day Drama in Sydney’s Sunshine

Heading into the final day, England held a 119-run lead with just two wickets remaining, relying on Jacob Bethell—unbeaten on 142 after his stunning debut century—to build a defendable total. Australia took the second new ball five overs into the day, and while Bethell successfully overturned an lbw decision against Scott Boland, he eventually edged a delivery from Mitchell Starc to slip. Starc then cleaned up the last man, Josh Tongue, who patted a ball to extra cover, leaving Australia needing 160 to win.

England’s hopes of derailing the chase were dealt a blow early when Jake Weatherald survived a caught-behind appeal off Brydon Carse, sparking a heated controversy over the Snicko technology. On-field umpire Ahsan Raza turned down the appeal, and TV umpire Chris Gaffaney upheld the decision despite a small movement on Snicko, leaving Stokes and his team visibly frustrated. Stokes even spoke to the umpires about “consistency” as Carse had to be calmed down by his teammates.

Weatherald made it to 34 before being dismissed by Tongue, who also took the wicket of Travis Head, caught in the leg side for 29. Usman Khawaja, playing his 88th and final Test, received a guard of honour from England when he came out to bat, but he made just six before chopping on to Tongue’s delivery, departing to a rapturous ovation and performing a sajdah in front of the pavilion. England’s woes continued when Bethell dropped Marnus Labuschagne at gully off Tongue, though Labuschagne was later run out for 37 in a mix-up with Alex Carey. The day had its farcical moments too: Carey and Cameron Green nearly ended up at the same end during a run, but both survived the scare.

As the sun set over the SCG, the Barmy Army sang through their songbook while Australia edged closer to victory. Alex Carey hit the winning runs, and the crowd erupted—Australia had done it again. The Ashes urn stays in Australia, and England’s tour ended in the same way it began: with a loss.

Australia Looks Ahead to 2027 Ashes Challenge

While England wallows in disappointment, Australia can celebrate another dominant Ashes win—one achieved even with a second-choice bowling attack. Captain Pat Cummins played just one Test due to a back injury, Josh Hazlewood missed the entire series, and leading spinner Nathan Lyon had a limited role due to conditions and injury. Mitchell Starc was the star of the show, finishing with 31 wickets, while Travis Head’s promotion to opener in Perth proved to be a game-changer for the series. Alex Carey also shone behind the stumps, producing some match-winning performances.

Despite the 4-1 win, Australia isn’t without questions as they look ahead to the 2027 Ashes series in England. The identity of their opener, number three batsman, all-rounder, and frontline spinner are all up for debate. Their biggest goal? Securing their first away Ashes win since 2001, a feat that has eluded them for over two decades. With the next series just 18 months away, the hype will start building soon, and fans on both sides will be eagerly waiting to see if Australia can continue their dominance—or if England can bounce back with a new plan.

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