England's underwhelming Ashes series ended with another defeat as Australia claimed a tense five-wicket victory in Sydney to emerge as 4-1 victors over the five matches. 

The tourists set Australia a target of 160 runs for the win after adding 40 to their overnight total following the loss of day four hero Jacob Bethell (154) and Josh Tongue (6). 

Despite the bowling of Tongue, who finished with figures of 3-42, briefly giving England hope, Alex Carey and Cameron Green got Australia over the line before tea on the final day.

After reaching 342 in their second innings, England struggled to find a breakthrough before Tongue dismissed Travis Head for 29 in the 11th over, which got the tourists going. 

Jake Weatherald (34) and Steve Smith (12) soon followed, as Usman Khawaja entered the crease in his 88th and final Test after announcing his retirement.

However, with Australia needing 68 runs for victory, Khawaja was unable to provide a dream end to his Test career, lasting just seven balls before falling to Tongue for 6.

Marnus Labuschagne (37) was then run out by Matthew Potts to leave Australia 121-5, having previously been 62-0, and still needing 39 for the win.

But Carey (16 not out) and Green (22no) steadied the ship to seal victory in the 32nd over.

Congratulations to our Australian Men's Cricket Team on securing the NRMA Insurance Ashes series 4-1 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/0VWis6gA5P

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) January 8, 2026

Data Debrief: Starc dominates the Ashes again

After getting their first Test victory in Australia since January 2011 in Melbourne last time out, England were out to build on that impressive display.

While once again coming up short with the bat, they were at least competitive in Sydney. 

Indeed, their 726 combined runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground is the most by a losing side in an Ashes Test since 1948. Only once had England scored that many runs and lost in the last 77 years, which came against West Indies at Headingley in 2017 (748). 

But the series certainly belonged to Australia, who are now unbeaten in their last four Ashes series Down Under. Across those matches, they have lost just once, winning 17 times and drawing twice. 

And Mitchell Starc once again impressed, with his figures of 3-72 in England's second innings taking him to 30 wickets in the series, becoming the first player to reach that amount of dismissals since Mitchell Johnson's 37 in 2013-14.