England chose to bat

26/0 from 5

Duckett 9*

Crawley 5*

@Chrissy

Bazball in back, haterz! 😂

Oops...Duckett gone fi 27

Eng 35/1

@NineMiles

back in di pavilion - Starc raving idiocy😀

good catch dat

Duckett gawn fi 27

@NineMiles

happy New Year😀

50/1

Oops 50/2

will review

out

Crawley gawn lbw Neser fi 16

51/2

@Chrissy

Happy New Year to you too Sis! 😀

@Chrissy

Bethell gawn

Gawn

Bethel ct Carey b Boland 10

57/3

75/3 from 17

Lunch

Brook 23*

Root 31*

114/3

50s for both Root n Brook

170/3

Sydney is hot hot...thunderstorms expected shortly.

Day 1: 2nd Session

ENG 170 /3 (36) CRR:4.72

Harry Brook 54(6

Joe Root 55(73)

39.5

6

Green to Brook, SIX, what a six. This Brook has nailed. Absolutely nailed. A short of length delivery on middle, Brook pulls from down to up and nearly clears the ground at deep backward square-leg, deep into the crowd

Day 1: 2nd Session

ENG 202 /3 (43) CRR:4.7

Harry Brook 72(86)

Joe Root 69(97)

43.3

Green to Brook, 1 run, short of length and down leg, Brook goes on the back foot and flicks to deep backward square-leg, the 150-run stand is up

ENG 211 /3 (45) CRR:4.69

Day 1: 2nd Session

@NineMiles

Rain rain

Day 2 starts at 6.00 not 6.30 because of all that day 1 rain

Brook gawn - good catch

ctSmith b Boland 84

226/4

@Narper

quack quack fi Stokes

Into di 90snfi Root

251/5

Ton #41 fi Root

265/5

@Chrissy

Freaking bestest batsman in the world! 😀

Day 2: 1st Session

ENG 299 /5 (69) CRR:4.33

Joe Root 115(176)

Jamie Smith 37(56)

69.1

4

Webster to Jamie Smith, FOUR, 123.9kph, Smith walks forward and across, converts it into a half-volley and brings his bottom hand into play to whip it between mid-on and midwicket. England cross 300 with that boundary

Most Test hundreds since 2021

24 - Joe Root

10 - Steven Smith

10 - Kane Williamson

10 - Harry Brook

10 - Shubman Gill

306/5

@NineMiles

hehe - dead rubber ton dis😀

@NineMiles

Smith gives it away fi 46 - idiot wanted 50 before lunch😀

74.4

W

Labuschagne to Jamie Smith, out Caught by Boland!! Labuschagne is on a celebratory run! The 94-run stand has been broken. 129.7kph, everyone knows it's going to be short. Smith makes room and decides to play the aerial shot. Hops to slap it over cover and Boland, who is standing a few inches in front of the rope, takes the catch. There was just one fielder there in the deep on the off-side and Smith picked him to perfection. 

Jamie Smith c Boland b Labuschagne 46(76) [4s-6 6s-1]

Day 2: 1st Session

ENG 323 /6 (75) CRR:4.31

Will Jacks 0(2)

Joe Root 129(190)

Day 2: Lunch Break

ENG 336 /6 (7 CRR:4.31

Joe Root 138(200)

Will Jacks 3(11)

Day 2: 2nd Session

ENG 365 /6 (87) CRR:4.2

Joe Root 147 (221)

Will Jacks 23(44)

@Chrissy

Dead rubber my Freaking ass! 😝

If you score a ton, make it a biggie

Gwan Rootie

91.6

Neser to Will Jacks, out Caught by Green!! Neser gets Will Jacks. A good length delivery angled in to middle, squares Jacks up on the back foot, the leading-edge is found and a simple catch to gully. 

Will Jacks c Green b Neser 27(62) [4s-2 6s-1]

ENG 375 /7 (92) CRR:4.08

94.1

Green to Brydon Carse, out Caught by Carey!! Green has his first. Are they checking for the no-ball again? Green looks at the ump immediately. He is fine this time. A length delivery just outside off, that open-face from Brydon Carse and he outside-edges it. Went to push and Carey takes it to his right. Two quick wickets for Australia. 

Brydon Carse c Carey b Green 1(6)

Day 2: 2nd Session

ENG 383 /8 (95) CRR:4.03

Matthew Potts 1(5)

Joe Root 159(240)

97.1

Neser to Root, out Caught&Bowled!! Brilliant caught and bowled. Neser goes across and to his right to dive and take that. Root walks off to a standing ovation. One or two Aussies too applaud. This rises on Root as he shuffles across and walks forward, that extra bounce hits the bat sticker as Root looks to flick to leg, Neser in the end catches it with just his right hand on the dive. Points at his Queensland team-mate Khawaja after taking the catch. Fantastic reception for Root who walks off bat-raised to all corners of the SCG. The noise was deafening.

Root c and b Neser 160(242) [4s-15]

97.3

W

Neser to Tongue, out Bowled!! That's the end of the innings. Neser hits the top of leg-stump. Breaks a bail too. It's the sharp nipbacker, from a length 

Tongue b Neser 0(2)

Day 2: Tea Break

ENG 384 (97.3) CRR:3.94

Michael Neser *18.3 2 60 4

@Narper

Stumps day 2

Weatherall lbw Stokes 21

Labuschagne ct Bethel b Stokes 48

Head 91*

Neser 1*

OZ 166/2

Duckett cyan ketch a cold.

@RedDuppy

He probably was on the piss again!

Ton for Head

103* from 106

179/2

@Chrissy

@NineMiles

Bowling too easy, Archer needed

@Brerzerk

murda by Head

di commies cracking me up. England cyan bowl to lefties.

200 up

man seh more misses than a spinsters’ ball😂😂😂

what A dolly drop dat😀

@Brerzerk

@Chrissy

Stokes picking his buddy Potts when Matt Fisher would have the better choice.

Shocking drop catch by Jack's...Pommie confidence at a very low ebb.

@NineMiles

well given the state of my side, who am I to talk but misery loves company😀

Why waste the last review on the night watchman?

Day 3: 1st Session

AUS 227 /2 (53) CRR:4.28

Australia trail by 157 runs

Michael Neser 24(86)

Travis Head 126(131)

ninesey di BarmyArmy should sing God save di lousy team

finally Neser gawn Carse strikes

234/3

Head 153*

264/3

Down goes di chance, the bowler and the umpire.

Lunch

Head 162* from 160

Smith 16*

OZ 280/3

trail by 103

Notice both sides wearing pink, reason being?

@Chrissy

Catching efficiency in the series so far

Australia: 86.6% (10 dropped catches)

England: 74.2% (17 dropped catches)

@natty_forever

Fundraising at SCG for cancet NcGrath’s wife died of cancer

remember Glen

@Narper

Yep

67.1

Jacob Bethell to Head, out Lbw!! Head has been trapped in front but he takes the review quite quickly! Was there a little bit of bat involved? Was the in-drifter on a fuller length that drifted in nicely from around off, Head kneeled across on one knee and went for the big sweep but seemed to have got beaten on the inside edge to get pinged on the pads. Time for the replays. UltraEdge shows a flat line. Over to ball-tracking and it returns three reds - it would have crashed into the leg-stump. Head walks off and he receives a standing ovation from the Sydney crowd. End of a brilliant knock from Head. The ploy to go with the part-time spin of Jacob Bethell has worked for England.

 Head lbw b Jacob Bethell 163(166) [4s-24 6s-1]

AUS 288-4

Usman Khawaja 0(5)

Steven Smith 22(46)

Jacob Bethell 2-1-6-1

AUS 307-4

Usman Khawaja 2(12)

Steven Smith 38(64)

Jacob Bethell 4-1-9-1

Day 3: 2nd Session

AUS 337 /4 (83) CRR:4.06

Australia trail by 47 runs

Steven Smith 51(97)

Usman Khawaja 15(45)

83.2

Brydon Carse to Khawaja, 2 runs, 134.5kph, full and curling in a bit, Khawaja drives through extra cover for a brace. Fifty partnership

ton fi Smith

Close of play

Smith 129*

Webster 42*

518/7

OZ lead by 134

Carse 3, Stokes 2, Tongue 1, Bethel 1

Day 4: 1st Session

AUS 524 /7 (125) CRR:4.19

- Australia lead by 140 runs

Steven Smith 135(211)

Beau Webster 42(5

50* fi Webster

partnership 95

lead 148

532/7

Stokes injured again - leaves the field

103 patnership from 127

540/7

542/2

lead 158

Smith gawn fi 138

ct Smith b Tongue

544/8

lead 160

550/8

lead 166

Webster 64*

clataaax Starc gawn fi 5. Tongue

564/9

Webster 68*

lead 180

Lead 183

567/10

Webster 71*

Day 4: 1st Session

ENG384

AUS 564 /9 (133) CRR:4.24

- Australia lead by 180 runs

Beau Webster 68(83)

Day 4: 1st Session

ENG 384

AUS 567 (133.5) CRR:4.24

Australia lead by 183 run

Beau Webster *71[87

Crawley and Duckett are at the crease.

Crawley is on strike.

Mitchell Starc will open the attack

0.4

Mitchell Starc to Duckett, 3 runs, nicely played! Pitched up around off, Duckett leans ahead a bit and push-drives it past mid-off. Labuschagne gives it a chase and slides near the fence

Crawley has been trapped in front

0.5

Mitchell Starc to Crawley, out Lbw!! Crawley has been trapped in front but after a consultation with Duckett, he opts for the review. He didn't offer any stroke so the impact doesn't matter. It looks adjacent to the naked eye. 144kph back of a length delivery around off, swung in a bit, Crawley was caught in the crease and had an error in judgement as he lifted his bat to leave it but was struck on the front pad. Ball-tracking comes into play and hitting is umpire's call - it would have hit the top of off-stump. Mitchell Starc works his magic in the first over yet again

Crawley lbw b Mitchell Starc 1(2)

Crawley reviews - what a waste of time

lbw Starc 1

4/1

Jacob Bethell, left handed bat, comes to the crease

0.6

Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, no run, back of a length outside off, shaping away, Jacob Bethell leaves it alone

@Chrissy

Feels like the last day of the tour/series.

@Chrissy

Feels like the last day of the tour/series.

Lowest opening partnership average in a Test series (min. 10 innings)

18.6 - John Dyson & Graeme Wood (AUS), Ashes 1981 (away)

19.1 - Zak Crawley & Ben Duckett (ENG), Ashes 2025/26 (away)

21.4 - Sunil Gavaskar & Anshuman Gaikwad (IND) vs WI, 1983/84 (home)

23.44 - Trevor Goddard & Jackie McGlew (SA) vs ENG, 1960 (away)

23.7 - Michael Atherton & Marcus Trescothick (ENG), Ashes 2001 (home)

Most wickets in the first over of an innings in Tests

29 - James Anderson (SR: 60.4)

27 - Mitchell Starc (SR: 39.3)

20 - Glenn McGrath (SR: 59.5)

16 - Chaminda Vaas (SR: 62.2)

14 - Dale Steyn (SR: 56.5)

*where ball-by-ball data is available

Stat - England’s opening partnership lasted 22 balls on average in this series. That’s the third-lowest balls/dismissal for a team’s opening stand in any Test series of minimum four matches, after 14.9 for England on the 1905/06 tour of South Africa and 17.1 for Australia in Ashes 2019 (where ball-by-ball data is available).

Day 4: 1st Session

ENG 17 /1(5) CRR:3.4

- England trail by 166 runs

Ben Duckett 14(14)

Jacob Bethell 2(14)

Mitchell Starc 3-0-16-1

Day 4: 1st Session

ENG 57 /1 (13) CRR:4.38

- England trail by 126 runs

Ben Duckett 32(36)

Jacob Bethell 18(40)

13.6

Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, FOUR, 141.8kph, overpitched outside off, Bethell reaches out and laces the drive with the swing to the left of backward point.

13.1

Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, FOUR, 141.3kph, not where he intended but he'll get the boundary. Bethell closes the bat-face early against this length ball and gets a leading edge that beats the diving backward point fielder to his right

14.6

Green to Jacob Bethell, no run

Bethell will undergo a conussion test and and he's smiling. That's a good sign

15.3

Neser to Duckett, no run, edged and dropped! 131.8kph, Duckett pokes at this out-seamer outside off. Extra bounce and it goes off the glove. Green dives to his right at gully, goes with both hands and puts it down. Smith, at wide slip, was right behind him

Day 4: Lunch Break

ENG 80 /1 (17) CRR:4.71

- England trail by 103 runs

Ben Duckett 40(4

Jacob Bethell 28(52)

19.1

W

Neser to Duckett, out Bowled!! 

Duckett b Neser 42(55) [4s-6]

Ben Duckett in Ashes 2025/26

Innings: 10

Runs: 202

Avg: 20.2

SR: 91.4

HS: 42 (today)

21.1

4

Neser to Jacob Bethell, FOUR, shot! Fractionally overpitched on off, Jacob Bethell leans into it, shows

26.1

Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, FOUR beautifully played! 142.6kph back of a length delivery and some room on offer, Jacob Bethell rises on his toes, gets on top of the bounce and cuts it expertly through backward point to find the fence. 100 up for England

Day 4: 2nd Session

ENG 106 /2 (27) CRR:3.93

England trail by 77 runs

Joe Root 5(26)

Jacob Bethell 46(80

28.1

F

Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, FOUR, Jacob Bethell brings up his fifty in style! He raises his bat and soaks in all the applause.

Jacob Bethell * 53[87

50 up for the English-Bajan bway!

Mek it a biggie

Aussies had a long stopper in that last over from Starc to Bethell. Haven’t seen a long stopper in cricket in donkey years, only if the wicketkeeper couldn’t catch the ball when the bowler delivers the ball.

31.6

W

Boland to Root, out Lbw!! This looks close. Root has been given out lbw. He has a chat with Jacob Bethell and reviews. 132.7kph, good length, nips in off the deck and beats Root's inside edge to rap him on the front pad adjacent to the stumps. He's struck on the knee-roll and isn't fully forward either. Over to ball-tracking and that's clipping the top of middle and leg (umpire's call). Big wicket and Root walks off to a standing ovation from the SCG crowd. He's distraught though. No easy runs on offer, Boland kept bowling in the right channel and now he gets the reward. 

Root lbw b Boland 6(37) [4s-1]

@NineMiles

Wow! Missed a lot while in traffic. Go Bethell, if Harry Brook has enough between the ears he can learn a lot from you the junior and try save some Pommie face.

@Brerzerk

Full of anticipation here...Dad and Mum in the stands.

Bethell on 99

And there we go...First Test ton for the young lad.

Excellent batting

@Narper

Well done you T-man, no less than 150 now

Beginning of series I asked how Green makes Oz's team over Webster

@Narper

Smith gawn fi 26

Bethell still going 123*

264/6

lead now 82

dis done

will be 4-1 OZ

@NineMiles

could be

Stokes gawn now fi 1

Lead now 100 - seven down

Biggest crowds ever at the SCG

England 302/8

lead 119

come on OZ. 4-1😀

yuh have to give it to di Barmy Army - licks sharing but they’re in fine form.

review fi lbw

stupid review OZ

Bethel moves to 150*

lead 135

Bethel reviews and out overturned

Clataaaax

Bethel ct Carey b Starc 154

328/9

lead 145

342/10

starc 31 wickets

OZ needs 160

Day 5: Innings Break

AUS 567

ENG 384 & 342 (88.2) CRR:3.87

England lead by 159 runs

Oh skites - two failed reviews already fi di Poms

10/1 from 1

@Chrissy

AUS 10-0

Travis Head 9(5)

Jake Weatherald 1(1)

Stat - The lowest target defended in an Ashes Test since 2000 is 271 by Australia in Hobart in January 2022.

@Chrissy

Pommies getting their panties in a twist over a dead rubber? 😀

Day 5: 1st Session

AUS 34/0 (7) CRR:4.86

- Australia need 126 runs

Jake Weatherald 17(22)

Travis Head16(20)

Jacob Bethell, Left arm orthodox, comes into the attack

7.1

Jacob Bethell to Jake Weatherald, FOUR, to deep backward point

AUS 57-0

Travis Head 25(33)

Jake Weatherald31(27)

Australia need 103 runs

10.3

Tongue to Head, out Caught by Brydon Carse!! Head holes out in a bid to keep the tempo going! He advances down the track. Tongue spots that 

Head c Brydon Carse b Tongue 29(35) [4s-4

Head gawn fi 29

62/1

need 98

14.4

W

Tongue to Jake Weatherald, out Caught by Potts!! Brilliant catch from Potts in the deep! 138.3kph bouncer outside off, Jake Weatherald was on the move initially and due to the steepness on the delivery, he is caught in a tangle as he doesn't know what really to do with it. He can't take his bat out of the way and the top-edge flies towards fine leg. Potts is aware of the situation. He quickly takes off the blocks, keeps his eyes on the ball and dives in front to take a well-judged catch. That will be Lunch on Day 5 as well. 4

Jake Weatherald c Potts b Tongue 34(40) [4s-5]

@Narper

OZ needs 89 with eight wickets and two sessions

Day 5: Lunch Break

AUS 71 /2 (14.4) CRR:4.84

- Australia need 89 runs

Marnus Labuschagne 7(13)

17.5

W

Will Jacks to Smith, out Bowled!! Wow! That's a lovely delivery from Jacks. A classic offspinner's dismissal. Smith is in disbelief. A flighted offbreak that lands on a length outside off and spins back in sharply. Smith is drawn forward into a defensive push and the ball spins through the gate to crash into the stumps.

 Smith b Will Jacks 12(12) [4s-1]

clataaax Smith b Jacks 12

82/3

OZ need 68

22.1

W

Tongue to Khawaja, out Bowled!! Chopped on! 139.5kph, short of a good length ball outside off, Khawaja hops across to punch and drags it onto his stumps via an inside edge. The left-hander receives a standing ovation as he takes the long walk back for the last time in his international career. Waves his bat to all parts of the ground. Blows a flying kiss and then gets down to kiss the turf. His wife is in tears.

 Khawaja b Tongue 6(7) [4s-1]

Day 5: 2nd Session

AUS 121 /4 (23) CRR:5.26

- Australia need 39 runs

Alex Carey 2(5)

Marnus Labuschagne37(39)

23.1

Root to Labuschagne, out Labuschagne Run Out!! Mix-up and gone! Australia have now lost half their side and Labuschagne is distraught, down on his knees. Drives a full delivery to mid-off and sets off for a single, Carey turns his back on him. Labuschagne is almost halfway down before turning around. Potts is quick to release the ball but the throw isn't spot-on.

Labuschagne run out (Potts/Jamie Smith) 37(40) [4s-4 6s-1]

AUS 125-5

Cameron Green 3(3)

Alex Carey 3(7)

@Narper

RIP Bazball

4-1

Australia won by 5 wkts

ENG 384 & 342

AUS 567 & 161/5

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Travis Head

PLAYER OF THE SERIES

Mitchell Starc

This wasn't a full-strength Australian side. No Hazlewood for the entire series,

Cummins featured in just one match,

Lyon hardly had a role in the first Test, was dropped for the day-night Test and then got injured in the third Test.

There was a debutant at the top of the order as well.

"It's probably the worst Australian team since 2010," were the words of former England bowler, Stuart Broad, before the start of this Ashes.

And, yet, they won the series 4-1 and have probably buried Bazball in the process.

The Australians, throughout the series, found a way to win crunch moments.

@FanAttick

byebye coach and cappo😀