Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Day 5

2061dDaniel Brettig

The Ashes event now transcends the cricket

This was the second-highest attended Ashes of all time, viewing figures have been strong and Steven Smith has moved towards greatness. But much of the action was far from memorable

2061dJarrod Kimber at Sydney

The futile finale of a drained Joe Root

Joe Root started the Ashes with boyish optimism but finished it asleep in the dressing-room, ill and exhausted after a tour of perpetual scrutiny and failure

2061dDaniel Brettig in Sydney

Smith bats for Bancroft after Ashes win

Steven Smith also spoke about the importance of keeping Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins together when the Ashes were up for grabs

Day 4

2061dDaniel Brettig at Sydney

Lyon's share recalls Warne impact

Expectation rises whenever Nathan Lyon takes the ball, and England have largely been worried out of attacking him

Day 3

Day 2

2061dThe Report by Brydon Coverdale

Khawaja and Smith put Australia in control

On a day when Australia chipped slowly away at England's total, in a dead rubber, individual moments and milestones caught the eye more than the overall match progress

2061dESPNcricinfo staff

Mason Crane - how the experts saw it

As if being England's youngest specialist spinner for 90 years was not demanding enough, Mason Crane underwent the ritual glare from a posse of cricket experts

Day 1

2061dDaniel Brettig at Sydney

Australia reminded of Starc reality

Australia are not the same team without a 100% fit Mitchell Starc - and that includes when Starc is actually playing

Others

2497dAndrew Miller

The Not-so-Famous Five

Legspinners remain a romanticised breed in English cricket, and Mason Crane's call-up for the Sydney Test is the latest chapter in the saga. However, in the past 50 years, their selections - and success - have been few and far between

2061dDaniel Brettig in Sydney

Starc gets SCG wish but ODI rest looms

Mitchell Starc has been passed fit for the SCG Test, but his captain Steven Smith says Australia are mindful of the need to keep the left-arm quick fit for the South Africa tour

2061dGeorge Dobell in Sydney

Side strain rules Woakes out of Sydney Test

With Mason Crane already pencilled in as the second spinner on a surface expected to offer some turn, Tom Curran retains his place in the seam attack thanks to Woakes' injury

Smith all the way

687

Runs scored by Steve Smith in the 2017-18 Ashes- Sixth highest ever for Australia. Sir Don Bradman occupies three of the the top 6 positions. Smith averaged 137.40

Drubbing

4-0

Australia's Ashes Victory Margin - This is the 12th instance of England not winning a Test in an Ashes series

Spin failure

112.5

Bowling average for England's spinners in this series, their worst in any series in which they've bowled 200+ overs

A debut to forget

193

Runs conceded by Crane, the highest for any England bowler on debut, and the fifth highest for any bowler. The record is 222, by Randiv v Ind

Middle-order domination

3

Instances of Australia's Nos. 3-6 all getting 75+. The previous two instances were in 1946 and 1937, during Bradman's captaincy

Batsmen Dominate

1993

Only other instance of Australia adding over 100 runs each for the 3rd,4th and 5th wicket respectively. It was also against England at Leeds in 1993.

Successful pair

6

Century stands between Smith and Khawaja since April 2014. They have 12 stands of fifty or more from 18 innings. The pair have added 1330 runs at 73.88.

Another Record for Smith

111

Innings taken for Steven Smith to reach 6000 Test runs- Joint-second quickest along with Sir Garry Sobers behind Sir Don Bradman who got there in 68 innings.

Fails again

1

No. of 50s converted into 100s by Root in his last ten 50+ scores. In this series, he has failed to score a century after crossing 50 four times.

Contributions from all

2013

Last instance of England's top-5 all scoring 20+ runs in the first inns of a Test, at MCG in Ashes 2013-14. In this Test, all 5 have crossed 20 so far.

Cook goes on

150

No. of consecutive Tests played by Cook, including this match. Only Allan Border (153) has played more in a row.

Can England finish off well?

2

No. of defeats for Australia at SCG in last 20 years, before this match. Both have come against England - 2002-03 and 2010-11. In 26 out of last 28 Tests at SCG, teams have opted to bat first, so as England now.