Player of the Match
Player of the Match

There goes another Ashes series and Australia have regained the Urn and in some style. A 5-0 hammering, every Test a complete stuffing with England never properly in the contest. Where do we go from here? Well Australia go to South Africa in February and that will surely be a much tougher series. England have some time off before their home season begins in May and Sri Lanka come to the UK. But there is, of course, a five-match one-day series and three T20s to complete this current tour - the teams will be much-changed when the matches get underway next Sunday, January 12, at the MCG. Do join us then but for the time being, from Gnasher and I, it's goodbye from Sydney.

Mark Taylor has taken over the presentation, presumably Mark Nicholas couldn't stomach it. Medals come first, with the umpires collecting a "gift" from Shane Warne. Starbucks voucher perhaps? Man of the Match is awarded to Ryan Harris for his eight wickets in the match, richly deserved I think, he has been outstanding since coming back for Australia in the second Test at Lord's, not least in managing to stay fit.

And now the Compton-Miller medal for Man of the Series, a toss up between Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson. There's an X Factor-style delay and...it goes to Johnson for 37 wickets at 14! What a comeback from Johnson, a tearaway fast bowler who couldn't keep it on the cut strip but now he's back as one of the leading quicks in the world. He terrorised England in this series, especially in the first two Tests, especially at Adelaide with that incredible spell in the first innings.

Alastair Cook. I feel for you sir, what can he possibly say: "It's obviously tough knowing that you've been beaten badly in five games. We weren't good enough to turn it around. We tried to change the way we played but anything we through at Australia they were good enough. When you hit rock bottom the only way is up. Things turned around in 2007. We know we have a huge amount of talent in England and we have to look about where we go from here."

a slightly emotional Michael Clarke: "It's an extremely special occasion. We couldn't foresee 5-0 after the England series but I said then the work we were putting in behind the scenes we were going to get the rewards. The bowlers have done a fantastic job, I told them before the Test that they were the best attack in the world and I think they've earned that mantle." Clarke gets his hands on the Waterford Crystal Ashes and the Australians come up to get their hands back on the Urn for the first time since 2007. Most congratulations to them.

The Australians, draped in Blue Ensigns, are taking a lap of honour and don't they deserve it, what an achievement they have managed in the past two months. Incredible really. This is not a truly great Australian side like the 2006-07 crop were - and England competed far better in that series - but the captain and coach (and physiotherapists) have eked everything they could find out of this group of players. Presentation coming up shortly...

England, well, go home and hang your heads in shame. It has been a pathetic performance from them. They were okay with the ball but the batting has just been the stuff of schoolboys. No discipline, no fight, no commitment, no pride it seems in playing for England. They have rolled over so meakly that it will take something for several of these cricketers to recover. This final defeat has confirmed, surely, that they are the worst touring party ever to leave England. 155 all out and 166 all out here, and it's not just the totals they have managed but the lack of time they have kept Australia out in the field. But, hey ho, it's only a game and the McGrath Foundation day here keeps things in perspective. The SCG pretty in pink and the home side have put on a grand day.

What a remarkable achievement by Michael Clarke's side. Having been comprehensively beaten in England just four months ago they have became just the third side in the 140-year history of the game to complete an Ashes whitewash. No-one saw this coming at all but Clarke's team have found a way to fire and have performed consistently over five Tests. A three-day win here the icing on the cake and reward for the remarkable turnaround they have conjured.

Well, well, well, just 31.4 overs this second innings has lasted and Australia have blazed England away, this latest victory by a whopping 281 runs and Australia complete a 5-0 Ashes whitewash. The juggernaut revved up after tea and Ryan Harris, Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Lyon have steamrollered England into surely the greatest embarrassment in their history. The tourists' fond memories of three years ago have been totally eradicated here with an utter annihilation.

31.4
W
Harris to Rankin, OUT, outside edge gone!! Taken at second slip at head height and that's the wicket that seals it. A full delivery just outside off, Rankin swung hard at it, got a thick outside edge and it was taken well by Clarke

WB Rankin c Clarke b Harris 0 (2m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

31.3
0
Harris to Rankin, no run, bumper and Rankin gets under it

So Australia now on the brink of a 5-0 sweep...

31.2
W
Harris to Broad, OUT, full and straight, Broad swings rather wildly from no position whatsoever and is clean bowled with leg stump being knocked back. Going for another big one was Broad and he missed completely

SCJ Broad b Harris 42 (36m 36b 3x4 4x6) SR: 116.66

31.1
6
Harris to Broad, SIX, short and pulled and six more! Broad clears long leg into the pavilion this time

END OF OVER:
31 | 15 Runs | ENG: 160/8

  • Stuart Broad36 (34b)
  • James Anderson1 (1b)
  • Nathan Lyon9-0-70-2
  • Ryan Harris9-4-19-3
30.6
1
Lyon to Broad, 1 run, tries to belt another down the ground but miscues it along the floor to deep mid-on
30.5
2
Lyon to Broad, 2 runs, off side this time with a cut stroke over extra cover, Lyon dropping a touch short
30.4
6
Lyon to Broad, SIX, another slog sweep and six more over midwicket, nailed it again
30.3
0
Lyon to Broad, no run, flatter trajectory and blocked back up to the bowler
30.2
6
Lyon to Broad, SIX, a little more air and Broad goes after it and clears cow corner, another powerful strike and brings the 150 up
30.1
0
Lyon to Broad, no run, leg stump line, blocked coming forward

END OF OVER:
30 | 6 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 145/8

  • Stuart Broad21 (28b)
  • James Anderson1 (1b)
  • Ryan Harris9-4-19-3
  • Nathan Lyon8-0-55-2
29.6
1
Harris to Broad, 1 run, around the wicket, a sharp bumper, Broad fends it off and it loops off the shoulder of the bat and just gets over Warner diving back in the gully, super delivery
29.5
4
Harris to Broad, FOUR, another short ball, not quite as short and Broad beats deep midwicket
29.4
0
Harris to Broad, no run, short ball that Broad is on too soon really, swinging and missing
29.3
0
Harris to Broad, no run, back of a length down the leg side, swiped at and missed
29.2
1
Harris to Anderson, 1 run, back of a length on the stumps, blocked in the crease into midwicket where there's a single available
29.1
W
Harris to Stokes, OUT, a step down the track, tries to slap a length ball to leg and drags it onto his stumps. Stokes going down fighting, a bit stroke too many and got a bottom-edge into the base of middle stump. He was aiming leg side and it ended up being a bit of an ugly head-in-the-air slap but a little cameo was at least something for England

BA Stokes b Harris 32 (38m 16b 3x4 2x6) SR: 200.00

Ryan Harris replaces Johnson...