Time to call stumps. On behalf of the Guardian’s over-by-over team, thanks for your company today and throughout this 2025-26 Ashes series. Over and OUT!

Geoff Lemon pays tribute to player of the series Mitchell Starc.

It was right that Mitchell Starc should clean up the last two English wickets of this Ashes. Right, too, that Travis Head should mop up a few more runs, but for all of the enjoyment that Head brings with his Jayasuriya-lite batting and his Boon-lite persona, the difference in the series has been the other left-hander. The fifth morning of the Sydney Test took Starc to 31 wickets at 19, and crossing 30 is the stuff of great Ashes series.

Here’s Ali Martin’s 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 in the series 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 complement 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

5th over: Australia 27-0 (Head 14, Weatherald 12) Carse wobbles the seam down to get the ball to move away from Head: that’s a lovely delivery. But the singles keep on coming for this pair.

4th over: Australia 24-0 (Head 12, Weatherald 11) Head swings and misses when Tongue goes wide outside off … and repeats his error moments later. A dab through point brings him one.

3rd over: Australia 20-0 (Head 10, Weatherald 10) Carse doesn’t want to offer Head any width … but he drifts down the leg-side and is clipped for a single. The Durham quick is a Test-quality bowler … but he’s not a new-ball guy. He keeps it relatively tight with this over though, conceding two singles.

2nd over: Australia 18-0 (Head 9, Weatherald 9) Josh Tongue, not Matt Potts, gets the new ball. He’s quickly appealing for a leg-before against Weatherald, but the opener cuts and clips for a couple of couples. A short ball from Tongue is a gift: Weatherald cuts hard for four. It’s been another loose start with the new ball by England, a familiar tale in this series.

1st over: Australia 10-0 (Head 9, Weatherald 1) Brydon Carse has the new ball and he begins with an inswinging full toss to Head, prompting a leg-before shout. There’s a run-out appeal with the same delivery but the result is the same: Head remains. He clips away for a single and so does Jake Weatherald, who could really do with some runs. Carse, from over the wicket, bowls on leg stump to Head and, somehow, the ball is squeezed to third for a boundary. England decide to review for an lbw, and that is a deeply desperate shout, the ball clearly off the bat. Head then pumps it through mid-on for another boundary.

Ben Stokes is on the field despite sustaining a groin injury yesterday. Surely, surely, he won’t bowl.

Right then, do England have a chance? Get Travis Head and someone else early and we’ll talk then.

88th over: England 342-9 (Tongue 6, Potts 18) Potts decides to keep Tongue away from the strike but can’t nick a single off the final ball of Boland’s over.

George Grundy is another believer out there. I love the optimism … but it ain’t happening.

A biblical tropical storm is lashing Tamarin Bay at Nusa Lembongan in Indonesia and at 7am my fellow travellers are all still asleep, but I have OBO for company and the warm but illusory idea that we might get 200 ahead and nick one in Sydney. Perhaps my brain has gone as troppo as the weather.

87th over: England 342-9 (Tongue 6, Potts 18) Starc continues to get that ball to fly high to Carey, but Tongue’s got ticker; he drives a fuller ball straight down the ground for four! Not sure the No 11 can believe he’s just done that.

86th over: England 338-9 (Tongue 2, Potts 18) Has Boland got Potts’ outside edge? There was definitely a noise. Australia review but there’s nothing on Snicko and England go on. Potts clips nicely for four and the lead goes beyond 150. And how about this: a smashing back-foot punch for four more closes the over.

85th over: England 329-9 (Tongue 1, Potts 10) Bethell finishes the tour with more runs than Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes. Meanwhile Starc searches for Josh Tongue’s stumps; the great left-armer has 30 wickets in the series.

84th over: England 328-8 (Bethell 154, Potts 10) Bethell cuts Boland … but the field is back and the left-hander doesn’t bother with a single. He drives beautifully through mid-off, too – but again, no run. Boland then goes across Bethell, inviting a loose drive, but there’s no contact off the bat. A single off the penultimate delivery leaves Potts with one to face, and Boland, for once, is off it: he sends it down the leg-side.

83rd over: England 327-8 (Bethell 153, Potts 10) Starc goes short and Bethell elbows a delivery down the leg-side for four. Ouch. The left-arm quick gets his outswinger hooping and Bethell digs out a vicious yorker for one to keep the strike for the next over.

Colum Fordham still believes:

Watching Bethell bat - but also field and bowl - is a breath of fresh air. I am so impressed by his humility as well as his obvious brilliance. He has thoroughly deserved to get his 150, and against Mitchell Starc, no less, with the new ball. Matthew Potts can clearly bat so there is just a fleeting ray of hope for England.

82nd over: England 322-8 (Bethell 152, Potts 10) Boland nips one back into Bethell from around the wicket and that looks plumb: up goes the finger! Bethell reviews … but, oh my, the ball’s going over the stumps: he lives on! Boland responds with a ridiculous delivery that nips away from England’s centurion – that was basically a rapid off-break.

81st over: England 321-8 (Bethell 151, Potts 10) Starc responds with a couple of corkers to beat the outside edge, plenty of carry on the way to Alex Carey behind the stumps. Two slips wait for the fatal prod. An edge does arrive … but Bethell plays with soft hands to keep the ball low and take a single. Potts has one delivery to survive … and he drives through point for two! Some good running in that over from the two England batters.

80th over: England 316-8 (Bethell 148, Potts 8) Bethell, once again, runs through for a single off Webster’s opening delivery. The left-hander is then undone by the off-spinner’s lack of pace, chipping the ball into the cover region, but there’s no one around for the grab. Time for that second new ball and a bit of Mitchell Starc heat.

79th over: England 313-8 (Bethell 146, Potts 7) Bethell has his first look at Boland this morning and he cuts nicely for a single, leaving Potts with two balls to face. Out comes a Boland nip-backer, very nearly rattling off-stump.

78th over: England 312-8 (Bethell 145, Potts 7) Bethell finally has the strike … and he immediately takes a single off Webster. I wonder if he’s going to play some shots before that second new ball? The singles continue as Webster tosses the ball up, inviting a potential hoo-ha. Bethell gets the reverse-sweep out, but with the field back he gets just one.

77th over: England 307-8 (Bethell 142, Potts 5) Scott Boland is up from the other end … and he immediately finds Potts’ front pad. It looks like it’s going down the leg-side, but Australia go upstairs with a review. It’s comfortably missing the stumps. Potts gets the bat down to see off a maiden.

76th over: England 307-8 (Bethell 142, Potts 5) Webster begins with his offies … and greets Potts with a long hop: it’s cut away nicely for four. The all-rounder eventually finds turn and bounce before closing with another drag-down. Potts cuts … and takes the single.

Usman Khawaja leads Australia on to the field. After 15 years at the top, he finishes up as a Test cricketer today. A wonderful, trailblazing career and, full transparency, one of my childhood heroes.

Is there a way to wipe the second half of this piece from the interweb?

“Good morning/evening/night Taha,” writes Tony McKnight.

“Mid afternoon and a low winter sun here in Idaho. Is innate English conservatism Bazball’s tragic flaw? If it’s broke, don’t fix it. So no Bethell til it’s too late, no Josh Tongue til it’s too late, don’t change the batting order, Stokes doesn’t open the bowling for 4 overs, but he’ll wreck his body with 8, 9, 10 over spells when the innings has already gotten away? Meanwhile look at shiny new #3. In that regard, surely a 4-1 defeat is better than a miracle come-back today and more paper over the cracks?”

The Tongue situation is particularly odd. Was a real surprise that he didn’t play until the third Test, having ended the summer with so much energy behind him: he was England’s leading wicket-taker against India despite missing two Tests and bowled Notts to the County Championship title, too.

The real stars of this Test? Jacob Bethell’s parents. Loved seeing their reaction in the crowd to their son’s hundred.

Beau Webster continues to impress, those numbers particularly appealing at present: he’s averaging 41 with the bat and 23 with the ball in Test cricket. England are lucky they’ve only had to face him in one game. Here’s Geoff Lemon on Australia’s all-rounder debate.

Yeah, but can he do it in the County Championship? Anyway, here’s Barney Ronay on that Bethell knock.

Et in dystopia ego. In the midst of death, we are in life. On a throbbingly hot deep blue afternoon in Sydney, as this ghost ship of an England Ashes tour creaked towards its final dock, the fourth day of the fifth Test produced an unexpected late plot twist. Something good happened.