Australia claim a 4-1 series scoreline after navigating sharp turn on a day five SCG pitch
Australia overcame one final fury over umpiring technology and a whole lot of final-day jitters to farewell Usman Khawaja with one last Test victory, their closest of an Ashes series they have convincingly set to a 4-1 margin.
Left 160 to get after an England third-innings rearguard led by Jacob Bethell’s resplendent 154, the hosts recovered from losing their fifth wicket with 39 runs still needed on a wearing SCG surface thanks to an uneasy sixth-wicket stand between Alex Carey (16no) and Cameron Green (22no).
The pair’s match-sealing 40-run union, somehow unbroken after several hairy late mix-ups, saw the Aussies home by five wickets.
The close friends shared a hug after Carey hit Will Jacks for the winning runs through the off-side.
Josh Tongue (3-42 from 11 overs) delivered a lion-hearted last-ditch spell, but England’s lack of a frontline spinner left too much up to their part-timers on a pitch that begun offering violent turn.
More to come.
2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes
First Test: Australia won by eight wickets
Second Test: Australia won by eight wickets
Third Test: Australia won by 82 runs
Fourth Test: England won by four wickets
Fifth Test: Australia won by five wickets
Australia squad (fifth Test): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue
