Australia Crush England 4-1 in Sydney Ashes Series Finale

The final day at the Sydney Cricket Ground summed up the entire Ashes: Australia ruthless when it mattered, England brave in patches but never quite enough. A five-wicket win sealed a 4-1 series triumph and extended Australia’s iron grip on the urn.

Head, Root and a chase that underlined Aussie control

In the first innings, England 384 were lifted by a masterful Joe Root 160, but Australia’s reply was brutal. Australia 567 rode a magnificent Travis Head 163 and a classy Steve Smith 138, turning a decent English total into a platform for dominance. Josh Tongue 3-97 was the only bowler to consistently threaten.

England fought back in their second dig, posting 342, built around a superb Jacob Bethell 154 that hinted at a brighter future. Webster 3-64 and Mitchell Starc 3-72 kept things in check, leaving Australia a target of 160.

Under bright Sydney sunshine after lunch on day five, Australia’s chase wasn’t entirely straightforward. Tongue struck again with 3-42, and the tourists scrapped hard in the field. There’d be no fairytale, though. Despite injuries, including skipper Pat Cummins, the hosts found a way, just as they have all series.

It was fitting that *Alex Carey 16 ** and *Cameron Green 22 ** were there at the end, finishing the job with calm authority.

"We were pushed at times, but we always felt in control of the big moments." — Travis Head

For England, this goes down as one of their most disappointing Ashes tours in recent memory – no answers with the ball on flat decks, over-reliance on Root and too little support from the rest. For Indian fans, this kind of 4-1 statement win on home soil is reminiscent of India’s own dominance in Test series at home, but also a warning: beating this Australian unit in Australia will take something special from the Men in Blue.