Australia beat England in fifth Ashes Test to seal 4-1 series win

SYDNEY: Australia overcame a few nervous moments to safely chase down a 160-run target before tea on the final day of the fifth Ashes Test on Thursday, securing a five-wicket victory and a 4-1 triumph in the series.

England seamer Josh Tongue led a spirited resistance with figures of 3-42, but Alex Carey guided Australia home with a boundary through the covers in mid-afternoon, batting alongside Cameron Green.

England earned credit for making a contest of the fifth Ashes final Test and avoiding the heavy defeats that have often marked end-of-series matches for touring sides at the Sydney Cricket Ground. However, without the bowling services of injured captain Ben Stokes, defending a modest target on a good batting wicket proved a difficult task.

Stokes encouraged his team from the slips as Australia’s openers reduced the target to under 100. Travis Head, who had struck his third century of the series in Australia’s massive first-innings total of 567, was dismissed for 29 after ballooning a shot to midwicket off Tongue.

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Jake Weatherald followed soon after for 34, again caught off Tongue’s bowling, taking Australia to lunch needing 89 more runs for victory.

The match marked 15 years and a day since England last won a final Ashes Test in Australia, when they triumphed by an innings and 83 runs at the same venue during the 2010-11 series.

England briefly found hope when Usman Khawaja was dismissed for six, playing on to Tongue after facing just seven balls. Marnus Labuschagne, who had earlier been dropped on 20, was later run out for 37 with 39 runs still required.

Carey, unbeaten on 16, and Green, who finished on 22 not out, survived a late mix-up after an overthrow before eventually guiding Australia to victory.

Earlier in the day, England resumed their second innings on 302-8, but Mitchell Starc struck a decisive blow by having Bethell caught behind for 154. Bethell’s maiden Test century proved the key difference between England suffering an innings defeat and forcing Australia to bat again.

Starc then dismissed Tongue for six to end England’s innings on 342. The left-arm pacer finished with figures of 3-72 in the match and claimed 31 wickets across the series, capping a dominant Ashes campaign for Australia.