Australia hammered England 5-0 in the Ashes to complete a clean sweep against on Sunday as the beleaguered tourists crumbled onc eagain to a humiliating 281-run defeat in the fifth test in Sydney.
Hapless England capitulated after tea against the home side’s pace attack, led by Ryan Harris who took 5/25 and man-of-the-series Mitchell Johnson – who took 37 wickets in the five matches – had figures of 3/40 in the second innings. In the process England lost seven wickets in 52 minutes as they bundled out for 166 in 31.4 overs – in their attempt to the 448 target for victory.
It was the sixth time that the Cook and co. had been skittled for under 200 in the series. Skipper Alastair Cook (7), Ian Bell (16) and Kevin Pietersen (6) all fell in the middle session as England wnet to tea on 87-3 but it was carnage after the tea as four wickets fell in two overs with the tourists falling apart against relentless Australian onsluaght.
Michael Carberry, who top scored with 43 runs, edged Mitchell Johnson to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin just two balls into the third session and three balls later debutant Gary Ballance was trapped plumb in front by Johnson for seven.
Jonny Bairstow, whpo replaced Matt Prior, was caught at short-leg by George Bailey of the bowling off Nathan Lyon for a three-ball duck and debutant legspinner Scott Borthwick was caught by skipper Michael Clarke off Lyon for four.
Ben Stokes showed his accomplished team-mates how to play with some counter attacking shots punishing Lyon for 20 off one over before he played Harris on to his stumps for 32 off 16 balls with three fours and two sixes.
Stuart Broad also went down swinging with four sixes and three fours in his 42 off 36 balls before bowled by Harris, and Boyd Rankin was last man out, caught by Clarke at second slip to start the celebration in Australian camp.
Earlier Cook, who has endured a miserable series with the bat, was caught behind off Johnson for seven and was followed by Bell, who was snapped up the gully off Ryan Harris. Pietersen was athletically caught by Bailey close to the bat off Harris as England’s top order once again failed to fire.
The England skipper has scored just 246 runs at 24.60 in this series, whereas last time out in Australia in 2010/11, he amassed 766 runs at 127.66.
Bell, who was man of the series in the Ashes series in England, and Pietersen, both averaged a meagre 26 and 29 respectively in the series.
Earlier in the day Australia were dismissed for 276 in their second innings shortly after lunch with Chris Rogers top-scoring with 119.
Haddin became the highest-scoring Australian wicketkeeper in a test series with 28 off 40 balls.
Haddin, the nemesis of the English bowlers with his lower middle-order batting, finished the series with 493 runs at 61.62 to better the previous best of 473 held by Adam Gilchrist against South Africa in 2001-02.