MITCHELL Starc took 31 wickets.Travis Head posted three centuries and tallied 629 runs. Alex Carey completed 28 dismissals. The bowling,batting and fielding performances feature highly on the all-timelists for Aussies in the Ashes, underscoring Australia’s dominance in the 4- 1 series win that was completed on Day 5 of the fifth Test with a five-wicket in Sydney. “Yeah, it has been magnificent,” Steve Smith, Australia’s stand-in captain for four of the five Tests in the absence of Pat Cummins, said of the individual contributions.

 

“I think everyone’s stood up at different times. (Starc, Head and Carey) were obviously huge standouts,but other guys stood up at different times throughout the series and, you know, that’s what makes a good team.” The Australians bowled England out for 342 on the fifth morning of the series finale and, chasing 160 for victory, finished 161-5 with Carey hitting the winnings runs and Cameron Green unbeaten on22.Usman Khawaja was sent into retirement with a guard of honour and a standing ovation.

 

“It was nice to finish on a high note,” said Smith, who scored a century in the first innings to move up to No 6 on the all-time list.“We know the importance of every Test match with theWorld Test Championship, so to get the result here and finish the series on a high was incredibly pleasing.” The Australians retained the Ashes with wins in the first three Tests, but England were determined to narrow the margin after their drought-breaking win in Melbourne. “Tough one to take knowing thatwe can play a lot better than that, but ...

 

The Australian cricket team, they’ve just been incredible for five Test matches,”injured England captain Ben Stokes said. “But also, being pretty truthful to ourselves, we’ve done a little bit of damage ourselves.” KHAWAJA’S KISS GOODBYE The 39-year-old veteran walked to the crease after Smith was bowled by Will Jacks and Australia were 92-3. He was given a guard of honour from the England players, shook hands with Stokes and hugged Marnus Labuschagne. He got off the mark with a paddled reverse sweep and edged another ball between the wicket keeper and first slip for another 2.

 

Labuschagne had a reprieve when he was dropped on 20 by Jacob Bethell and took 16 off the next over, bowled by Jacks, to get the chase down to 41. That’s where Khawaja’s 88-Test career finished, dragging a delivery from Josh Tongue (3-42) onto his stumps. He saluted the crowd, then kneeled and kissed the turf in front of a “Thankyou Uzzy” sign that was painted onto the field. Labuschagne was so on run out for 37 when he took off for a single,only to get sent back by Carey.

 

At 121-5, it was tense, until Carey and Green combined to usher Australia home. FIFTH MORNING England resumed on Day 5 at 302-8, a lead of 119 runs, and were bowled out for 342, a 159- runlead with 2 1/2 sessions remaining. Starc dismissed Bethell for 154 and Tongue (6) to finish off the England innings and finish the series with 31 wickets at an average of 19.9, a performance that earned him the player of the series honours.

 

Brief scores: Australia 567 (Head 163, Smith 138, Tongue 3-97)and161 for5 (Labuschagne 37,Weatherald 34, Tongue 3-42) beat England 384 (Root 160, Neser 4-60)and 342(Bethell 154, Webster 3-64, Starc 3-72) by five wickets.