Australia finished an action-packed fifth and final test of the Ashes series against England on the final day of the SCG.
England’s Last Stand: Led by Bethell
Continuing from the final day in trouble, England showed tenacious resistance in the form of JG Bethell, who played a dogged knock of 150 from 243 deliveries, including 15 fours. Bethell remained obstinate amidst the extreme sort of pressure as England crossed the 300 mark despite the steady flow of wickets.
Australia scored early on Day 5, with MJ Potts getting out after a successful review at 76.1 overs, with on-field official decisions overturned by umpire Ahsan Raza. The new ball was taken at 80.1 overs, and this lifted the intensity.
Bethell was forced to retire after a heroic innings, calling a review which eventually ended in 81.3 overs, but third umpire CB Gaffaney did not change the decision, which led to celebrations in the Australian camp. Drinks were taken, and England were 328/9.
Further drama ensued as Australia gained yet another review at 85.3 overs, this time dismissing Potts. England closed their innings at 342 all out in 88.2 overs, with Potts' contribution of a gritty 18.
Australia face challenging chase
Instant tension greeted the start of Australia's second innings as England burned two early reviews against Travis Head and Joe Weatherald, both overturned in Australia's favour by Ahsan Raza.
The openers progressed steadily to reach 34/0 at drinks and brought up 50 runs in 9.1 overs. The first wicket fell after a 50-run stand, before England struck twice to keep the contest alive.
At lunch, Australia was 71/2 with Marnus Labuschagne at the crease. During the middle session of play, the momentum again swung as England picked up key wickets to have the Aussies struggling at 140/5 at drinks. However, calm contributions from Alex Carey and Cameron Green steadied the chase and took Australia past 150 in 30.4 overs.
But the Australian players finally completed the required formalities to ensure their triumph in the series.
Day 5 saw quite an attendance with 25,847 people, bringing the total number to 211,032, the highest attendance ever for an SCG Test match.
Travis Head received the Player of the Match award for his impressive displays, where he scored 163 and 29 runs, while the Player of the Series award was given to Mitchell Starc, who performed unimaginably, scoring 156 runs and taking 31 wickets.
A Series to Remember
The final test match summed up the Ashes experience itself, with resilience, excitement, skill, and passion, as the Australians took victory through the efforts of remarkable men and their fans.