Here’s a match report from this magnificent fifth Test.

A few short weeks ago, England arrived on these shores full of swagger and with a genuine chance of winning the Ashes on Australian soil for the first time since 2010-11. Australia looked unusually vulnerable, particularly when captain Pat Cummins and his fellow paceman Josh Hazlewood went down injured before the first Test, leaving Mitchell Starc to lead a ‘second-string’ attack on the bouncy deck at Perth Stadium.

And for much of the first two days, the Ashes was a dogfight. Both teams ran from their corner and threw a multitude of punches, with 19 wickets falling on an incredible first day. But the turning point came on day two. England were on top, having cruised to 65-1 and a lead of 105 runs. Then Scott Boland produced some of his magic, triggering a collapse of four wickets for 11 runs in 19 balls. Ultimately, England lost 9 for 99 but set a total of 205, still had ascendancy in a Test where no team had scored more than 172.

Enter Travis Head. The maverick with the moustache straight out of 70s central casting wasn’t supposed to open but Usman Khawaja had tweaked his back so out Trav strode… and off he went. As a delirious crowd of 49,983 crowd cheered every blow, Head lashed the third-fastest Test ton by an Aussie as his side cruised to victory in 28.2 overs and won the first Test by eight wickets.

It was to be the first of three centuries by Head and it left England utterly shellshocked. They never really recovered.

Gervase Greene writes in with a tribute to Trav.

I bow to no-one in my admiration for Travis Head (though I still think he should come in at 6 or 7). He has been extraordinary. But I do wonder at the buckets of derision dumped on Jamie Smith and Harry Brook for reckless shots – “lacking situational awareness”, most scathingly – while others are spared the sword. Head was almost willing himself to get out this morning, and then charging 135kph Josh Tongue to hoick into a crowded leg side was hardly what a squat run-chase required. Aren’t we all being a little inconsistent?

It’s a good point, Gervase. Ultimately, the most successful exponent of BazBall proved to be the man behind TravBall. This 4-1 victory by Australia can’t disguise the fact that their batting in this series has frequently been erratic and brittle. Marnus Labuschagne, Jake Weatherald and Cameron Green all had disappointing series and have a serious fight on their hands to hold their spots.

For a series that was won and lost inside 11 days, the 2025-26 Ashes has ended with a flare of hope for the defeated and a tremor of concern for the victors.

England will bask in the wonderful innings of 154 by 22-year-old boy wonder Jacob Bethell. They have found a first drop who can lead them into the next generation. With young guns Harry Brook and Jamie Smith by his side, the future looks bright for England batting. As for thew bowlers, Josh Tongue was superb in this Test as he was in the two previous and looks certain to spearhead the England attack alongside Brydon Carse into the future. Whether Mark Wood and Jofra Archer can recover to form a fastbowling cartel to rival that of Australia remains to be seen.

The home side are a team in transition. They farewell 39-year-old opener Usman Khawaja from Test cricket today and have found a supercharged replacement in Travis Head. But Jake Weatherald has had another middling series and after the short-lived trials of Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney, they are still searching for an opener to compliment Head. With Head up the order their middle-order proved the side’s soft underbelly. Young allrounder Cameron Green may carry the can for that. He had another unhappy series, outdone by his direct rival Beau Webster, and may exit for selectors to experiment in the two upcoming duels against Bangladesh. With Australia to play 20 Tests in the next 12 months, the baggy green boffins have ample opportunity to mix and match.

Australian captain Steven Smith has accepted the Ashes trophy (the urn itself sits snug at Lord’s) from Steve Waugh and is magnanimous in victory and grateful for the team effort that won the series.

It was nice to finish on a high note. We know the importance of every Test with the World Test Championship. It was a great wicket out here. It had a bit of everything. Everyone has stood up at different times throughout the series. Anyone at home plays better than away. We’ve grown up here and we know how to play on them. Usman has had a wonderful career. I played in his debut. He’s grown as a human and a player and he’s certainly going to be missed in our dressing room.

Pat Cummins has joined the team on stage and the injured Nathan Lyon is out there too. They hold the crystal urn aloft.

Big Ben now has five months off. With a leg injury he says “has been better… and has been worse”, he may spend a few of those months recovering from surgery. Will we see him leading another Ashes squad Down Under again? That leg will have a lot of say in it, I suspect.

After giving his all in a doomed cause, England captain Ben Stokes has limped to the stage, battered but unbowed.

It was a great game to be involved in. We should have got 100 more and we allowed Australia to get 100 too many in the first innings. Australia are an incredible team. They had individuals who stood up. Full credit to them. But we know we could have done better. Time for reflection is not right now. We’ve got a long time away to reflect on it. Come June when we next play, hopefully we can put the wrongs right. That knock from Beth was simply incredible. Josh Tongue keeps going from strength to strength. He keeps impressing. We’ve got some unbelievable talent.

Predictably, it’s the big quick from western Sydney who earns the ultimate accolade. He took 31 wickets in this series and led the Australian attack heroically despite the loss of frontline champions Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Instead, Starc spearheaded a new cartel of Scott Boland, Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett and by bowling fast and long and fierce, inspired these second-stringers to glory.

It’s a great group to be part of. I’m a little bit tired. Between Scotty, Nes and I, we’ve been told we’re not on the younger side of things but we’ve worked hard as a group. I’m glad I got a few runs at the start of the series because I didn’t at the end. The partnership in Brisbane with Scotty was a big one for us.

The maverick South Australian has done it again! No wonder, after his 163 from 166 balls – his third century of the series. Head receives his medal from another redoubtable middle-order genius, Steve Waugh. Typically, Head is humble in triumph, more intent on how to celebrate this series victory. Batten down the hatches, Sydney. Head is in charge of the party tonight. God help us all…

It’s special. I’ve always found it tough to bat here. Nice to face the new ball and contribute. I probably hold the couple of hundreds in the first three Tests when everything was on the line. Nice to finish the series well.

Man of the moment Usman Khawaja is talking to Fox Sports.

This means a lot. So much has gone into it. The only thing I wanted was a win, as much as I wanted to hit the winning runs. The whole Test match I found it hard to control my emotions. I found it hard to concentrate in the middle. I’m grateful I’ve had the career I’ve had. I have full gratitude. It definitely got a bit too tight. You never count your chickens. We got the job done though.

Lovely words, Uzzie. He finishes this Test with two single-figure scores but after 88 Tests, 6000+ Test runs and 16 centuries, his legacy on and off the field is untouchable.

Four Tests to one feels a fitting a scoreline in the end. Even without captain Pat Cummins and champion fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood, Australia were dominant from the outset. With two eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane and and an 82-run in Adelaide, they had retained the Ashes inside 11 days.

Sifting the Ashes of this humiliation, England coach Brendon McCullum claimed his squad had ‘over-prepared’ and that ludicrous claim will be put under the blowtorch when this touring party returns home. Whoever decided the perfect preparation to take on this Australian side on their home turf was no warm-up games prior to the first Test and then some beach soccer and beers when 2-0 down needs their head read.

And yet, if England had swallowed their pride to conform to the orthodoxies of ugly-beautiful play Test cricket not Bazball, it might’ve been different. Too often they succumbed to rushes of blood when cool heads were required. That commitment to chaos seeped into their entire game plan and sparked a sorry fusillade of dropped catches, iffy selections and blown opportunities. The silver lining on this messy maelstrom will have to be their fourth Test victory – the first in Australia since 2011 – and young No 3 Jacob Bethell’s emergence in this Test.

32nd over: Australia 161-5 (Green 22, Carey 16) Australia are just one juicy blow from victory… and here it is. Carey strokes Jacks down the ground and a diving fielder cannot stop it. The ball hits the rope and the visitors hit the wall. It’s all over now. Australia win the Test after an almighty scare by England.

What a Test match that was. Australia looked ascendent for most of the five days but England refused to yield. Even when their skipper Ben Stokes staggered from the field, body broken and heart bleeding, his men gave their fans reason to believe. Jacob Bethell completed a magnificent 154 this morning to set a competitive target and their bowlers tore into Australia’s top-order with gusto. But it was too little too late and the better side has taken the spoils yet again.

31st over: Australia 157-5 (Green 22, Carey 12) Australia inch another run closer as Green fends Carse into the offside and sets off for a single. The Barmy Army have quietened a little as the home side move closer to a 4-1 series triumph. Carse has blown open another sandshoe with the effort of that delivery. His big toe is actually protruding from the toe cap. Carse has been loose at times but the effort of the big English quick cannot be faulted in this series. Carey clips off his holster for a run. But now he strays short and wide and Green rises to his full height and hefts him behind point for FOUR. A welcome boundary for Australia. But Carse won’t lie down. he slings in a 141kph bouncer which strikes a ducking Green on the shoulder. But the big fella responds by cutting for another FOUR from the last. Only three runs to win now.

30th over: Australia 147-5 (Green 13, Carey 11) Here comes Will Jacks for another over to make mockery of Australia’s decision to leave a specialist spinner out of their XI for the first time in 140+ years. Immediately, he has the ball fizzing out o the footmarks, a puff of dust evident as he jags it back at the towering Cameron Green. The big allrounder flinches as another one explodes but the deflection of the thigh pad runs away for three byes. Reverse sweep by Carey! That’s bold. But no run results. Australia need 13 runs for victory.

29th over: Australia 144-5 (Green 13, Carey 11) Thanks, Taha! Strewth, what a finish we’ve got here. Australia start this over needing 19 runs and England require five wickets. And right from the get-go we have another near run-out! Alex Carey wanted a second run but changed his mind. By then Cam Green was galloping down the track and had to swivel like a Clydesdale on hot tarmac to get back in time. If the throw had gone to the non-strikers end, England might’ve had their sixth wicket. Nerves frazzling and fraying on both sides here. Carey calls an extra-loud “NO!” to Carse’s fourth delivery. The big English quick flings down a 140kph bouncer to release some tension and ratchet up Australian nerves. Finally, Carey drops and runs a single. Australia need 16 runs for victory.

28th over: Australia 140-5 (Green 11, Carey 10) Root skips through his over quickly. Australia need 20 runs. It’s time for drinks and a change of tune. Angus Fontaine will see this thing through.

27th over: Australia 138-5 (Green 10, Carey 9) Brydon Carse is back to replace Tongue, who looked in a bit of pain in his last over. Carse nearly collides with Green as Australia run through a tight single. The precious ones keep on coming before Green punches for a very precious four. Australia need 22 runs.

26th over: Australia 131-5 (Green 5, Carey 7) Root tosses the ball up, searching for that magical, spitting off-break … and there’s a shout for a catch at short leg! No bat on it from Green though. This is lovely stuff from Root, though, forcing Green to get the big forward defence out. Maiden. Australia need 29 runs.

25th over: Australia 131-5 (Green 5, Carey 7) Carey drives straight for a couple as Tongue soldiers on. The singles continue, the pressure of the last over suddenly gone. Australia need 29 runs.

24th over: Australia 125-5 (Green 3, Carey 3) Surely, surely not. Cameron Green, who has been under the pump all series, drives through the off-side for a couple. Labuschagne was absolutely distraught with that dismissal. Australia need 35 runs. England need five wickets.

Joe Root is on to bowl … and Labuschagne has been run out! Is this thing still on?! He drives to mid-off, gets running but is sent back by Alex Carey and is out of his ground. The throw is a fine one from Potts to the striker’s end and Jamie Smith does the rest.

23rd over: Australia 121-4 (Labuschagne 37, Carey 2) Josh Tongue is one away from 50 Test wickets in just his ninth match. Australia need 39 runs.

Khawaja chops on! He doesn’t get the fairytale finish but it’s not far off. The 39-year-old blows kisses to the SCG, raises his bat and soaks it all in. A special, stirring career is over.

22nd over: Australia 119-3 (Labuschagne 37, Khawaja 6) Labuschagne, pinned down by Tongue, decides to come for Jacks, sweeping and launching straight. An overpitched delivery is driven hard for four more to close a big over for Australia. We’re not far away now. Australia need 41 runs.

21st over: Australia 103-3 (Labuschagne 21, Khawaja 6) Oh dear. Tongue gets Labuschagne to drive, an edge flying high to Bethell at gully … he can’t hold on with his leaping effort. Would’ve been a great grab but was also very gettable for a fielder of his quality. Australia need 57 runs.

20th over: Australia 102-3 (Labuschagne 20, Khawaja 6) Khawaja gets down on one knee to guide Jacks around the leg-side corner for four. That Jacks delivery to Smith was a welcome sight for those who love the slow stuff; the lack of spin bowled in this series has been seriously frustrating. Khawaja offers a leading edge that evades Jacks, and then an outside edge beats Stokes’ dive at slip! Australia need 58 runs.

19th over: Australia 95-3 (Labuschagne 19, Khawaja 0) England appeal for a leg-side grab off Labuschagne, but they don’t bother taking it upstairs. Tongue is giving it his all here, with Labuschagne pulling unconvincingly to close the over. Australia need 65 runs. England need seven wickets.

18th over: Australia 92-3 (Khawaja 0, Labuschagne 16) Usman Khawaja makes his way out for one last time at Test level. England give him a well-deserved guard of honour. Can’t believe it’s been 15 years since he strolled out at the SCG on debut, but here we are. Khawaja’s forward defence closes the over. Australia need 68 runs.

Smith sweeps Jacks to deep backward square and the ball plugs into the surface … Ben Duckett makes up plenty of ground to launch a dive and deny the boundary. And then, out of nowhere, Jacks bowls a gorgeous, fizzing off-break to rip through Smith’s defence and bowl him!

17th over: Australia 88-2 (Labuschagne 15, Smith 9) Tongue angles the ball back into Smith, who follows three dots with a slightly clunky drive through the covers for four. Australia want to get this done quick. They need 72 runs.

16th over: Australia 83-2 (Labuschagne 15, Smith 4) Smith dances down the pitch to flick Jacks away through midwicket for a couple. The off-spinner is a touch too full before Labuschagne whips all the way over long-on for six! Australia need 77 runs.

15th over: Australia 73-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 1) Tongue has a leg slip in for Smith, who is immediately up and running with a single. That leg slip is there for Labuschagne too, as another single closes the over. Australia need 87 runs.

And we’re back. Steve Smith is on strike and up against his chief nemesis: Josh Tongue.

Mark Sputore writes:

Whilst the composition of Australia’s next Test series against Bangladesh will become clearer over the course of the final 4 rounds of the Sheffield Shield (and perhaps performances in the T20 World Cup), surely we can count on at least one change come August. RTS out, Ultredge in.

Dave Evans writes: “You can be angry at the not out decision, but you can’t aggressively march to the umpire and get in his face. I do hope the English media are also in agreement with this sentiment. Spirit of cricket all that…”

Very true: Ben Stokes rightfully moved Brydon Carse away from Ahsan Raza before having a more grown-up conversation with the umpire. Back to that DRS call we go (see 7th over): once again in this series, Snicko caused a stir, that brief murmur showing just after the ball passed the toe of the bat … yet Weatherald survived.

So Jake Weatherald finishes his first series in Test cricket as an Ashes winner … but with just 201 runs at 22.33 and one half-century. Fascinating to see whether Australia stick or twist – it feels like they’re going through something similar to what England experienced after the retirement of Andrew Strauss in 2012, when they churned through so many different options. David Warner really was so brilliant for so long.

Australia need 89 runs to seal a 4-1 series victory. Usman Khawaja to hit the winning runs? I see it.

Weatherald swings and misses with an attempted cut … before getting bounced out! He just holds the bat out and the ball flies to fine leg, with Matt Potts running in for a good grab. The openers are gone but Australia should see this thing through pretty comfortably after lunch.

14th over: Australia 71-1 (Labuschagne 7, Weatherald 34) Will Jacks is finally on and … nearly has a caught and bowled. It was a very tough, low chance, provided by a Weatherald leading edge.

13th over: Australia 70-1 (Labuschagne 7, Weatherald 33) Labuschagne leans into a cover drive to close Tongue’s over. Australia are just 90 runs away from making it 4-1.

12th over: Australia 66-1 (Labuschagne 3, Weatherald 33) Bethell continues to twirl away.

Andy Roberts (not the West Indies great, I think) writes in:

Andy in FNQ enjoying Australia’s run chase so far. But looking at the scoring rate, You can’t help but contrast it with the Australian bowling. Going at nearly a run a ball defending a small total is just not good enough. The only bowler in the English side with the accuracy and discipline to bowl in test cricket seems to be Stokes, and we’ve seen what that workload does to him. What is it about the English setup that they seem unable to bowl accurately?

The lack of control is a serious issue, and has been brewing for a while. Jofra Archer was the only member of the England attack to enter the series with a Test economy rate under three.

11th over: Australia 64-1 (Labuschagne 2, Weatherald 32) Labuschagne whips his first ball away for two. Head finishes the series with 625 runs at 69.44, a strike rate of 87.04. Wow.

Head flashes outside off against the returning Tongue … and the ball flies over gully for four. But he overdoes it with the next delivery, advancing down the pitch to launch a pull … the ball flies high and Carse runs around at midwicket to collect. Head’s masterful series – three centuries, plenty of havoc – is over.

10th over: Australia 57-0 (Head 25, Weatherald 31) Weatherald is liking the reverse sweep, another boundary taking him to 30 off 26 balls.

James Brough writes in, searching for a flurry of consolation wickets.

This may be defeatist, but I’ll be happy if we can just pick up a few wickets – if we lose by 5 wickets or so, at least it won’t be a humiliation.

Can’t help thinking though – if we’d played Bethell at 3 and had Tongue open the bowling from the first test, where would we be now? In a way that’s worse than the last few Ashes trips, because there’s the thought that maybe we could have done better, whereas the previous three series, we were never at the races.

Oh, well. 40 years watching this ridiculous sport, and in all that time, we’ve won twice in Australia. You’d think I’d be used to it by now.

9th over: Australia 49-0 (Head 22, Weatherald 26) Head has been scratchy so far but he’s always one clean strike away from turning his knock into an exhibition. Carse continues … and there is that clean hit, with a drive through the covers for four. Graeme Swann, on TNT, is busy laying into the third umpire’s decision from the 7th over.

8th over: Australia 40-0 (Head 17, Weatherald 22) Time for some spin, with Jacob Bethell – who can do no wrong – introduced. Weatherald greets him with a reverse sweep for four. There’s some serious turn for Bethell to Head, who cuts to the off-side sweeper for one.

7th over: Australia 34-0 (Head 16, Weatherald 17) Carse gives a little bit of width to Weatherald and that’s a lovely cut behind point for four. England appeal for a catch behind with the next delivery as Weatherald tries to repeat his trick … the umpire isn’t having it. Didn’t hear anything from up here (my sofa) either. England review … there’s a little murmur on Snicko but it’s not overturned. Carse is absolutely fuming and Stokes has to move him away from Ahsan Raza before the captain launches his own protest. The bowler remains livid after sending his next delivery down and words are being had with Weatherald. Snicko and DRS are back in focus. Ugh.

6th over: Australia 28-0 (Head 15, Weatherald 12) Tongue angles the ball into Weatherald, rattling the thigh pad, the ball lobbing up towards backward point. An inside-edge on to the pads follows: this is an excellent line from Tongue to the opener under pressure, Weatherald’s low-crouch technique under serious scrutiny.