Australia wrapped up a tyrannising Ashes campaign with a five-wicket win at the SCG, sealing the series 4-1 and collecting 12 crucial World Test Championship (WTC) points in the process. Chasing a modest 160 on a lively fifth-day surface, the hosts rode a rapid start before a calm, composed finish from Alex Carey and Cameron Green to complete the job. There were stutters in between but the target was never too high against an inconsistent England bowling lineup and a lively Day 5 pitch.
Starc weaves magic in Ashes 2025/26
England made Australia work for it. Resuming on 302/8, they were carried by Jacob Bethell’s excellent 154 before Mitchell Starc, already the story of the series, returned with the second new ball to end England’s resistance and finish with 31 wickets for the campaign. The left-armer’s consistency across all five Tests ultimately earned him the Player of the Series award, even with Travis Head piling up runs at the other end.
Before the start of the Ashes, there were huge questions on Australia’s bowling plans. Josh Hazlewood couldn’t play a single game. Pat Cummins could play just one. Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc was in a decline until now. He gave up T20I cricket and prioritized Tests and the results certainly were there to see!
Starc’s numbers show just how decisive he was. The 35-year-old claimed two Player of the Match awards, produced two five-wicket hauls and even chipped in with the bat, scoring 156 runs including two half-centuries. On Thursday, he also equalled Rangana Herath’s record for most wickets by a left-arm bowler in Test history.
Mitchell Starc – 2025-26 Ashes Performance
| Test | Venue | Bowling | Batting | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Perth | 7/58 & 3/55 | 12 | Australia won |
| 2nd | Brisbane | 6/75 & 2/64 | 77 | Australia won |
| 3rd | Adelaide | 1/61 & 3/62 | 54 & 7* | Australia won |
| 4th | Melbourne | 2/23 & 2/55 | 1 & 0 | England won |
| 5th | Sydney | 2/93 & 3/72 | 5 | Australia won |
Travis Head may have missed the series award, but his output was staggering. Opening in nine of the ten innings, he smashed three centuries and finished with 608 runs, well clear of every other batter.
| Player | Matches | Runs | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Head | 5 | 608 | 3 |
Ashes 2025-26 Results
| Test | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Perth | Australia won by 8 wickets |
| 2nd | Brisbane | Australia won by 8 wickets |
| 3rd | Adelaide | Australia won by 82 runs |
| 4th | Melbourne | England won by 4 wickets |
| 5th | Sydney | Australia won by 5 wickets |
With the series secured, Australia now sit comfortably atop the World Test Championship standings on 87.50 percent of possible points. England leave battered, outbowled, and with more questions than answers. They were utterly poor in most of the games. In others, they just proved to be an inferior team against Australia’s might.
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