Australia win fifth Test by five wickets to seal 4-1 Ashes series victory over England - clips, reaction & report
Updated 08/01/2026 at 06:49 GMT
React to this story
It has been a chastening tour for England, with the Ashes slipping away in 11 days. They had a chance to salvage something in Sydney on the final day but despite a brilliant 154 from Jacob Bethell, Australia emerged victorious to wrap up a 4-1 series victory. Watch every ball of the NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes series live on TNT Sports and discovery+
'Put England out of their misery' - Carey hits winning runs to secure victory
Video credit: TNT Sports
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/01/08/image-275fa7c1-a9b0-41bf-9ac6-772cf8ef8e8b-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
‘I have a ruthless side’ - Stokes eager for England to bounce back from Ashes loss
Video credit: TNT Sports
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/01/08/image-286869fd-9ac6-426d-9beb-104081f161bf-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
‘I’m keen to carry on’ - McCullum reflects on Ashes loss
Video credit: TNT Sports
Smith: Everyone did their job
"The guys mentioned [Head, Carey and Starc] were stand-outs but lots of guys stood up in different scenarios," Smith said.
"That's what makes a team. Everyone did their job."
Stokes: We did damage to ourselves
The England captain admitted they have not helped themselves at points across the series.
"We could, should have got 100 more with the bat and we let them get 100 too many in the first innings," he said. "That 200 on the last day on this pitch was crucial.
"We've done a bit of damage to ourselves. We've got some time to reflect after this Test. By June when we play the next Test hopefully we can put the wrongs right."
Player of the Series: Mitchell Starc
Travis Head and Alex Carey get honourable mentions, but Mitchell Starc deservedly gets the honour for his 31 wickets.
Player of the Match: Travis Head
Four centurions in the match and he pips Steve Smith, Joe Root and Jacob Bethell. Any could have taken it, but he was maybe lucky to win it over Bethell.
Australia hold on to win final Test
Australia stumbled towards a target of 160 but held on to win the fifth Test by five wickets, sealing a 4-1 series victory.
After the hosts put on 62 for the first wicket, a glut of dismissals either side of lunch gave England hope of a dramatic victory.
Travis Head (29) and Jake Weatherald (34) skied deliveries from Josh Tongue (3-42) before lunch and the pacer also bowled Usman Khawaja (6) in his last innings in Test cricket, after Will Jacks found prodigious turn to go through the gate of Steve Smith and clatter into the middle and leg stumps.
When Matthew Potts' sharp fielding saw top-scorer Marnus Labuschagne (37) run out it looked like a dramatic victory was possible.
But, thankful of their long batting lineup, Alex Carey (16*) and Cameron Green (22*) took Australia home and fittingly the former - one of the players of the series - scored the winning runs.
Earlier, beginning Day 5 on 302-8, England added another 40 runs with Jacob Bethell reaching 154 before being dismissed by Mitchell Starc (3-72), who also accounted for Josh Tongue (6) to end with a series-leading 31 wickets.
Australia win by five wickets
Australia 161-5 (Carey 16, Green 22)
Overs 31.2
Carey hits the winning runs to take Australia beyond the target.
Australia 157-5 (Carey 12, Green 22)
Overs: 31 Target 160
Green is finding it easy to score off Carse and he has taken his side to the brink of victory with two more boundaries - a back foot drive and fine late cut.
Australia 147-5 (Carey 11, Green 13)
Overs: 30 Target 160
Three runs off Will Jacks' over and it looks like belief has ebbed away now.
Australia 144-5 (Carey 10, Green 11)
Overs: 29 Target 160
Carey almost runs out another partner! There was an errant throw and after Green had run way past the wicket at the bowler's end initially, the wicketkeeper called him back for a second, before changing his mind. Green fell, but got back afterwards. Victory very much in sight now though.
Australia 140-5 (Carey 10, Green 11)
Overs: 28 Target 160
Another good over from Root. But Australia need just 20 more to win when play resumes after drinks.
Australia 138-5 (Carey 9, Green 10)
Overs: 27 Target 160
Carse is expensive again. A couple of balls that have Carey uncertain but a fine back foot punch gets Green a boundary.
Australia 131-5 (Carey 7, Green 5)
Overs: 26 Target 160
A maiden from Joe Root. He is bowling in good areas. Carse is coming back in to bowl now. Let's hope he does too.
Australia 131-5 (Carey 7, Green 5)
Overs: 25 Target 160
Tongue looks sore after this over. He has earned a rest.
Australia 125-5 (Carey 3, Green 3)
Overs: 24 Target 160
An eventful first over from Root. He had Green a little worried after the run out.
Wicket! Labuschagne run out 37. Australia 121-5
Overs: 23.1 Target 160
Labuschagne hit the ball wide of mid off and set off. Carey was ball watching and as the throw from Potts came in, Labuschagne could not get back in his ground.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/01/08/image-09f7fb67-1263-41e9-827a-c87e10250650-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'He's distraught' - Labuschagne is run out
Video credit: TNT Sports
Australia 121-4 (Labuschagne 37, Carey 2)
Overs: 22 Target: 160
Another fine over from Tongue, who is boosting himself further with this display. if Bethell had only held onto Labuschagne!
Wicket! Khawaja b Tongue 6. Australia 119-4
Overs: 21.1 Target: 160
Khawaja chops on and Tongue has a third wicket. The Aussie left-hander gets a huge ovation from the crowd as he walks off.
Australia 119-3 (Labuschagne 37, Khawaja 6)
Labuschagne looking to make England pay now and he hits Jacks for three boundaries and 14 runs in all.
Labuschagne dropped!
Australia 103-3 (Labuschagne 22, Khawaja 6)
Overs: 21. Target: 160
A fine over from Tongue and it should have been topped by a wicket as the Aussie batsman flashed at a wide drive which Bethell got both hands stretching above and to the right but the ball did not stick.
Australia 102-3 (Labuschagne 21, Khawaja 6)
Overs: 20. Target: 160
Khawaja gets off the mark with a lap sweep which brings up the Australia 100. He gets a leading edge trying to play the same shot a couple of balls later - and then edges between Smith and Stokes at slip.
Australia 95-3 (Labuschagne 19, Khawaja 0)
Overs: 19. Target: 160
A solid over from Tongue. But it feels like spin will be better at both ends now. Maybe Root next?
Australia 92-3 (Labuschagne 16, Khawaja 0)
Overs: 18. Target: 160
A huge ovation for Khawaja as he comes to the middle to join Labuschagne.
Wicket! Smith b Jacks 12. Australia 92-3
Overs: 17.5. Target: 160
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/01/08/image-de5e4c41-6f61-42e4-b996-51b76bb53595-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'Turns a mile' - Jacks knocks over Smith
Video credit: TNT Sports
A fabulous delivery from Jacks spins a mile and goes through the gate of Smith, crashing into middle and leg.
Australia 88-2 (Labuschagne 15, Smith 9)
Overs: 17. Target: 160
Tongue stays on and is creamed through the covers by Smith. Will they go for spin from both ends soon?
Australia 83-2 (Labuschagne 15, Smith 4)
Overs: 16. Target: 160
Labuschange comes down the wicket and spanks Jacks over wide long on for six. Australia halfway there now.
Australia 73-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 1)
Overs: 15. Target: 160
Smith gets off the mark from his first ball.
The players are in the middle...
Australia needed 89 more to win.
Openers' wickets give England hope at lunch
Australia got off to a quick start chasing 160 to win, after Jacob Bethall's 154 led England to 342 all out, but wickets of key man Travis Head and fellow opener Jake Weatherald kept the tourists in the game at lunch.
Currently at 71-2, Australia need just 89 for victory but Josh Tongue managed to see Head (29) sky a ball to Brydon Carse at wide mid-on and then Weatherald (34) mis-hit a bouncer to Matthew Potts running in from fine leg.
Earlier, Carse was furious as Weatherald, on 26, was given not out by DRS despite Snicko showing movement when the ball passed the opener's bat.
England resumed on 302-8 and Bethall got beyond the 150-mark before falling to Mitchell Starc, edging an attempted cut behind to Alex Carey.
England's last two batters put on another 14 before Tongue (6) hit Starc to Marnus Labuschagne at cover, leaving Potts on 18 not out. Starc ends the series as the leading wicket-taker with 31 dismissals.
Wicket! Weatherald c Potts b Tongue 33.
Australia 71-2
Overs: 14.4 Target: 160
A surprise bouncer from Tongue sees Weatherald spoon it up in the air and running in from fine leg, Potts takes a very good diving catch.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/01/08/image-548894e4-049b-4276-a92a-0eee8dd57a94-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'The surprise bouncer' - Tongue gets Weatherald for his second wicket
Video credit: TNT Sports
Australia 71-1 (Weatherald 33, Labuschagne 7)
Overs: 14. Target: 160
Jacks comes on to bowl and is not too far away from a caught on bowled as Weatherald pushes the ball just out of his grasp. Just a single off the last ball.
Australia 70-1 (Weatherald 33, Labuschagne 7)
Overs: 13. Target: 160
Labuschagne drives the last ball of Tongue's over for four. There will probably be two more overs before lunch.
Australia 66-1 (Weatherald 33, Labuschagne 3)
Overs: 12. Target: 160
A good over from Bethell with just two singles coming off it.
Australia 64-1 (Weatherald 32, Labuschagne 2)
Overs: 11. Target: 160
Labuschagne immediately gets off the mark. England have reason to hope now though.
Wicket! Head c Carse b Tongue 26. Australia 62-1
Overs: 10.3. Target: 160
Head hits a streaky four wide of the slips and then hits high in the air, holing out to Carse at wide mid on.
Australia 57-0 (Head 25, Weatherald 31)
Overs: 10. Target: 160
Head looks to disrupt Bethell and comes down the pitch, pushing a ball through the covers. Weatherald then scores another boundary. This time a reverse sweep.
Australia 49-0 (Head 22, Weatherald 26)
Overs: 9. Target: 160
Head misses a couple outside off stump, but later in the over Weatherald drives a full ball through the covers for four, then another just wide of mid off. It was worth giving him one more over, but surely that will be it for a while for Carse. He is too expensive to stay on for long spells on a short run chase.
Australia 40-0 (Head 17, Weatherald 22)
Overs: 8. Target: 160
Bethell comes into bowl and is immediately reverse-swept for four by Weatherald. There are some signs, Bethell could get some joy from the ball exploding out of the rough though.
Australia 34-0 (Head 16, Weatherald 17)
Overs: 7. Target: 160
That is controversial! Smith was sure there was a nick from Weatherald, so England sent the non-decision upstairs. But though there was a murmur on Snicko as the ball passed the bat, the umpire was instructed to stay with his non-decision. Stokes had a similar decision go against him. Carse has lost his head a bit and is directed away from Weatherald by his team-mates. A much-needed drinks break.
Australia 28-0 (Head 16, Weatherald 12)
Overs: 6. Target: 160
Bethell dives for a catch at gully but the ball came off Weatherald's thigh pad. A good over, but you have to think spin will come into the picture before too long.
Australia 27-0 (Head 14, Weatherald 11)
Overs: 5. Target: 160
Both the opening bowlers are beating Head but almost by too much with the movement off the surface.
Australia 24-0 (Head 12, Weatherald 11)
Overs: 4. Target: 160
Head misses a couple of wide ones, the first of which moved a mile off the surface. Four more towards the target though.
Australia 20-0 (Head 10, Weatherald 10)
Overs: 3. Target: 160
A better over from Carse ceding just two singles.
Australia 18-0 (Head 9, Weatherald 9)
Overs: 2. Target: 160
Tongue hits Weatherald on the pad first up and there is a half-hearted appeal. Thereafter, he pushes a couple to the point boundary, two more to deep mid-wicket, followed by a cut to the extra cover boundary.
Australia 10-0 (Head 9, Weatherald 1)
Overs: 1. Target: 160
An eventful first ball with Carse striking Head on the pad (England neglect a review hearing two sounds) and then the Aussie opener just gets in as Brook throws down the stumps. A full ball is edged just wide of second slip and goes to third man for four. The umpire gives leg byes leading England to send the delivery upstairs. Head then punches a more typical four inside the fielder at mid on.
England 342 all out
Wicket! Tongue c Labuschange b Starc 6
Overs: 88.2. Target: 160
Tongue chips the second ball of the over to Labuschange and that is the end of the innings. Australia need 160 to win.
England 342-9 (Potts 18, Tongue 6)
Overs: 88. Lead: 159
Potts turns down a single off the third ball of Boland. Probably wanted Tongue's heart rate to come down before he faces another ball. He can't get off the mark off the last two balls though, so Tongue will face Starc now, keen on revenge.
England 342-9 (Potts 18, Tongue 6)
Overs: 87. Lead: 159
A fabulous short from Tongue hitting Starc straight past the bowler of the series and down the ground for four.
England 338-9 (Potts 18, Tongue 2)
Overs: 86. Lead: 155
Tongue pushes a ball in the air just past short leg for another single. Australia go upstairs after hearing a noise as the ball past Potts' bat, but it missed it by a fair distance. Potts then clips the penultimate delivery of the over through mid-wicket for four - pushing the England lead past 150. He then drives the next ball off the back foot through the covers
England 329-9 (Potts 10, Tongue 1)
Overs: 85. Lead: 146
Tongue gets off the mark off the last ball of the over, after surviving a couple of nervy deliveries.
Wicket! Bethell c Carey b Starc 154. England 328-9
Overs: 84.2 Lead: 145
Starc's second delivery is too close to cut for Bethell and with the ball rising higher than he expected, he nicks behind. The end of an unforgettable innings.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/01/07/image-3775161a-9c3a-4583-8f54-04c8e73351f5-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'Could define this fifth Test' - Starc claims big wicket of Bethell
Video credit: TNT Sports
England 328-9
Overs: 84. Lead: 145
Bethell turns down singles off the Boland over until the fifth ball. It'sd probably wise during this spell.
England 327-8 (Bethell 153, Potts 10)
Overs: 83. Lead: 144
The first ball is at Bethell's hip and glances his elbow going past Carey for four leg byes. After surviving a couple of difficult deliveries, Bethell digs out a yorker to add another single off the last.
England 322-8 (Bethell 152, Potts 10)
Overs: 82. Lead: 139
Bethell is given out leg before but, though it looked out, he sends it upstairs and the ball was travelling above the stumps by about the radius of the cherry. Phew! The next ball is unplayable going just past his outside edge.
England 321-8 (Bethell 151, Potts 10)
Overs: 81. Lead: 138
Bethell pushes the first ball through mid-wicket for two runs and gets applause form all around the ground. The next ball sees the ball just miss Bethell's outside edge - Australia think about sending it upstairs but think better of it, snicko shows no edge. A controlled edge to third man picks up Bethell another run. Potts picks up a couple more off the last ball down to wide third man.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/01/07/image-bf18a2d7-ff51-4c57-ac65-d9e9c16d22ed-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'You know you are doing something right when the Aussies are applauding' - Bethell reaches 150
Video credit: TNT Sports
England 316-8 (Bethell 148, Potts 8)
Overs: 80. Lead: 133
Bethell hits an airy shot through the vacant covers from a Jeremy Snape-type moon ball from Webster. Australia will now take the new ball - and Mitchell Starc, of course, will bowl with it.
England 313-8 (Bethell 146, Potts 7)
Overs: 79. Lead: 130
Bethell happy to be circumspect against Boland. A slightly wide delivery is played to the fielder on the point boundary. Potts with a very brave leave from the penultimate ball. It came back and just missed the off stump.
England 312-8 (Bethell 145, Potts 7)
Overs: 78. Lead: 129
With the field back, Bethell is happy to take singles - and England score five of them in the over. The last of which is a reverse sweep from Bethell, to retain the strike.
England 307-8 (Bethell 142, Potts 5)
Overs: 77. Lead: 124
Scott Boland opens at the other end. Australia send a leg before appeal upstairs off the first ball, but it was missing leg stump by a distance. Potts finds him a lot harder proposition than Webster though. A maiden.
England 307-8 (Bethell 142, Potts 5)
Overs: 76. Lead: 124
Potts immediately cuts a half-track loosener from Webster to the boundary for four. He keeps the strike with a single off the last ball.
Here we go...
Khawaja led Australia out on the last day of his Test career. Beau Webster will bowl the first over. Potts is facing.
Five overs until new ball...
Graeme Swann says the pitch is a dream for a front-line spinner. No team has picked one of course. Bethell and Potts have five overs to face before Australia will take the new ball. Does Bethell go hard early? Australia are certain to surround the boundary.
Day 5 - LIVE
Welcome to TNT Sports' live text coverage from the final day of the fifth NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes series Test at Sydney Cricket Ground.
England resume on 302-8, a lead of 119, and will look to add more runs to challenge Australia in a fourth-innings chase.
The two playing XIs
England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Will Jacks, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Matthew Potts, 11 Josh Tongue
Australia: 1 Jake Weatherald, 2 Travis Head, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Usman Khawaja, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Cameron Green, 8 Beau Webster, 9 Michael Neser, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Scott Boland
- - -
Watch every ball of the NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes series live on TNT Sports and discovery+
Advertisement
Advertisement