Sydney [Australia], January 8 : After winning the fifth Test by five wickets and clinching the Ashes series 4-1 against England, Australia stand-in captain Steve Smith said that it was nice to finish the 2025-26 series on a high note.
Smith also stressed the importance of winning every Test match in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) and hailed his group for standing up at difficult times throughout the series.
Smith also opened up on missing Khawaja, who has retired from international cricket after the conclusion of the Sydney Test.
"It was nice to finish on a high note. We know the importance of every Test with the WTC. It was a great wicket out here. Had a bit of everything. Everyone has stood up at different times throughout the series. Anyone at home plays better than away. We've grown up here, and we know how to play on them. Usman has had a wonderful career. I played in his debut. He's grown as a human and a player, and he's certainly going to be missed in our dressing room," Smith said during the post-match presentation ceremony, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Smith finished as the fourth-highest run-getter in the Ashes series. The ace batter made 286 runs in four matches and eight innings at a superb average of 57.20. The right-handed batter notched up one fifty and as many centuries.
Smith captained Australia in the absence of Pat Cummins, who just played the third Test in Adelaide throughout the series. The right-handed batter missed the Adelaide game due to illness.
Coming to the match, England posted 384 in 97.3 overs after opting to bat first. Veteran batter Joe Root top-scored with 160 runs off 242 deliveries, along with 15 fours. This was Root's second hundred in the Ashes series after the Brisbane Test.
Vice-captain Harry Brook played a fighting knock of 84 runs off 97 balls, with the help of six fours and one six. Jamie Smith made 27 off 62 balls, including three boundaries.
For Australia, Mitchell Starc (2/93), Michael Neser (4/60), Scott Boland (2/85), Cameron Green (1/85), and Marnus Labuschagne (1/14) were among the wicket-takers.
In response, Australia notched up 567 in 133.5 overs and took a 183-run lead. Captain Smith made 138 off 220 balls, including 16 fours and one six. Beau Webster scored 71 off 87 deliveries, with the help of seven boundaries.
Travis Head top-scored with 163 runs off 166 balls, along with 24 fours and one six. For Three Lions, Brydon Carse (3/130), Josh Tongue (3/97), captain Ben Stokes (2/95), Will Jacks (1/34), and Jacob Bethell (1/52) picked wickets.
In the second innings of England, the 22-year-old Jacob Bethell played a fantastic knock of 154 off 265 deliveries, including 15 fours.
Opener Ben Duckett (42 off 55 deliveries, including six fours) and Harry Brook (42 off 48 balls, with the help of five fours) helped England make 342 in their second innings, setting up a target of 160 runs.
For Australia, Mitchell Starc (3/72), Scott Boland (2/46), Michael Neser (1/55), and Beau Webster (3/64) scalped wickets.
While chasing, Head (29), Jake Weatherald (34), and Marnus (37) ensured Australia won the fifth and final Test by five wickets against England. Josh Tongue scalped a three-wicket haul (3/42), having a decent outing with the ball for the visitors.
For his outstanding performance with the ball, Starc was named Player of the Series, whereas Travis Head, who was the highest run-getter with over 600 runs in this series, was named Player of the Match.
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