Summary

  • England suffer 4-0 Ashes defeat in Australia

  • Vote: Who has been England's best player?

  • Get Involved: #bbccricket or text 81111

  1. Moment of madnesspublished at 09:06 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    Up next on our Ashes recap, the moment of madness...

    We're plumping for Jonny Bairstow's decision not to employ a nightwatchman on day one of the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney...

    But what do you reckon?

    Let us know using #bbccricket or text 81111

  2. How's stat?published at 09:01 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    Australia have now won seven of the past eight series down under, while victory in Sydney means they have claimed 15 of their past 20 home Tests against England.

  3. get involved

    Get Involved - your England player of the Ashespublished at 08:56 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    #bbccricket or text 81111

    Nick: Jimmy Anderson has been England's best player of the series. On mainly docile pitches, he's bowled with great control. 17 wickets at 27 is a fine effort. Sadly, he's had very little support.

    Alex Foster: Just shows the high standards demanded from @root66, no one is talking about how well he has done. Scored only 5 fewer runs than Malan over the series (383 vs 378) + averages over 47 for the series. Not to mention his gutsy (sorry) 50 in the 2nd innings in Sydney

  4. Postpublished at 08:51 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    Or let the Test Match Special team do it for you...

    At work? On the train? Stick your headphones and listen to Michael Vaughan dissect the series with Simon Mann.

  5. '4-0 is a pretty fair reflection'published at 08:45 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    How does it feel to captain an Ashes-winning side? Best ask Steve Smith...

    "It's incredibly satisfying," he told ABC. "It's been a great couple of months.

    "So much work goes in behind the scenes to ensure we've got the right side and we're doing everything we can to win games of cricket.

    "I think 4-0 is a pretty fair reflection of how the games have gone."

  6. Postpublished at 08:42 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    "So this is what it was all about?"

    Steve SmithImage source, Getty Images
  7. Postpublished at 08:42 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    "Sweep it under the carpet and move on," said James Vince following his dismissal, but it was the Aussies who took control and really swept England away in the series.

  8. 'It would get me out 20 or 30 times'published at 08:37 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    StarcImage source, Reuters

    "It's still frustrating to get out, but it's easier to take than the ones you feel like you're at fault yourself," said James Vince about Mitchell Starc's mammoth delivery.

    "If I faced that another 20 or 30 times I think it would get me out every time. Give him credit there, sweep it under the carpet and move on."

  9. Postpublished at 08:35 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    And Pakistan great Wasim Akram certainly enjoyed it...

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  10. 'Ball of the 21st century'published at 08:30 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    StarcImage source, Getty Images

    "James Vince played beautifully," said former England captain Michael Vaughan after the Hampshire batsman's fine 59 was ended by Mitchell Starc's superb delivery. "He plays pure cricket strokes. He's a lovely player to watch.

    "You felt it was going to be his day. Then, all of a sudden, he got what we are probably going to describe as the ball of the 21st century. There was nothing you could do about that."

  11. How they stacked up: The bowlerspublished at 08:26 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    Talking of deliveries...

    Bowlers
  12. 'Splattered the stumps'published at 08:21 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    Vic Marks
    Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    That absolutely splattered the stumps.

    It was like a 90mph bit of left-arm spin.

    I think we can give Vince licence there. How do you play that? It was an absolute cracker.

  13. Delivery of the Ashes?published at 08:17 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    VinceImage source, BT Sport

    Not just the ball of the Ashes, but the ball of the century?

    Mitchell Starc's delivery to remove James Vince on day four of the third Ashes Test was something special.

    The left-armer went round the wicket, delivered a 90mph ball on a good length and watched it rip out Vince's off stump.

    Replays showed the ball, which hit a crack, would have gone down the leg side had it carried on its natural path. Instead, it left Vince's off stick uprooted.

  14. Postpublished at 08:16 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    Now then, as we're working our way through a list of Ashes moments, how about we start getting your thoughts on the best delivery of the series?

    Can anything top that Mitchell Starc scorcher to skittle James Vince in the third Test?

    Let us know using #bbccricket or text 81111

  15. One-trick ponies?published at 08:10 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    Pony

    Plenty of people have been having their say on England's Ashes failure, including former Somerset wicketkeeper Neil Burns.

    Writing on Facebook, external in great detail, he said: "When heavy defeats on Ashes tours become acceptable (and avoiding a whitewash is deemed a relative success) then our game is in real trouble.

    "And, just because 'the lads stuck at it, and team spirit remains good', it should not mask the need for a forensic examination of all things English cricket. Realistically, this should be happening all the time, not just after horrendous results on Ashes tours.

    "And, when you factor in that England's overseas tours to the sub-continent continue to be a disaster - consistently being outplayed against spin, then we are 'one-trick ponies' in home conditions.

    "And, that trick may disappear with the eventual retirement of James Anderson."

  16. '4-0 flatters England'published at 08:05 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

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  17. Postpublished at 08:05 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    Now, I'm a little worried that when I start drip-feeding some Ashes stats into this live all you England fans will start turning off in disgust. So I'll let cricket stats man Peter Miller do the first ones for me instead...

  18. What you missed on the final daypublished at 08:02 Greenwich Mean Time 8 January 2018

    If you didn't manage to last the night, here's what happened on the final day in Sydney...

    Australia bowled out the tourists for 180 mid-way through the second session on day five to wrap up victory by an innings and 123 runs, sealing the Ashes 4-0.

    England captain Joe Root spent the morning in hospital with gastroenteritis and was unable to resume his innings at the start of play.

    Moeen Ali went out with Jonny Bairstow instead, only to finish his nightmare tour in sadly fitting style - out lbw to nemesis Nathan Lyon for just 13.

    Root then did totter out and bravely turned his 42 not out into another half-century - he and Bairstow giving England a flicker of a whisper of a chance at lunch.

    But Root fell ill again and did not return. Pat Cummins produced a majestic spell to remove Bairstow and bounce out Stuart Broad and Mason Crane in Root's absence.

    Tom Curran batted admirably, as did James Anderson, until he fell, given out caught behind off Josh Hazlewood, even though replays showed he didn't hit it.

    But England had no reviews left and Root could not come back out - a dismal end to a chastening tour.