England have lost another Ashes as Australia claimed an 82-run victory to establish an insurmountable 3-0 series advantage on Sunday afternoon in Adelaide.
The hosts retained the urn after a mere 11 days of action across three Tests, equalling the unwanted record set by Nasser Hussain's squad during the 2002-03 tour for the quickest surrender in a five-match, five-day series.
Marnus Labuschagne pouched the decisive catch when Josh Tongue edged Scott Boland to slip shortly after 2.10pm local time, sparking celebrations among the Australian players.
Ben Stokes's side had arrived in Australia with genuine ambitions of reclaiming the famous trophy, yet they now face the prospect of two meaningless fixtures at Melbourne and Sydney with only pride left to salvage.
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Despite the inevitable outcome, England's lower order mounted a defiant rearguard on the final morning.
Jamie Smith and Will Jacks combined for a partnership of 91 that briefly made the mammoth target of 435 appear within reach.
Nathan Lyon departed the field with a hamstring injury sustained while chasing a ball to the boundary.
Smith struck four consecutive boundaries off the new ball before succumbing to temptation, hoisting a catch to Pat Cummins at mid-on, having made 60 from 83 deliveries.
Ben Stokes's side had arrived in Australia with genuine ambitions of reclaiming the famous trophy
|REUTERS
Jacks demonstrated genuine resolve during his 137-ball innings of 47, adding a further 52 with Brydon Carse before edging Mitchell Starc to another spectacular Labuschagne catch in the cordon.
England were eventually dismissed for 352, their highest match aggregate of 638 runs in Australia since 2010-11.
The responsibility for this capitulation lies squarely with director of cricket Rob Key and head coach Brendon McCullum, whose failures in planning and professionalism have been exposed rather than any deficiency in playing talent.
A casual attitude towards warm-up fixtures and overall preparation left the tourists ill-equipped for the demands of Test cricket in Australia, from the challenging surfaces to the intensity of their opponents.
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England were eventually dismissed for 352
|REUTERS
Key is scheduled to address journalists at the MCG on Tuesday, having previously accepted culpability for England's 2023 World Cup disappointment.
The problems began well before the squad departed, with no trial of a genuine opener when Zak Crawley suffered injury during the 2024 summer, while the decision to deploy Mark Wood at the Champions Trophy resulted in their quickest bowler arriving injured.
Australia's dominance has thoroughly dismantled the Bazball philosophy, with their psychological grip over English cricketers now stronger than at any point in recent memory.
The batting statistics paint a grim picture, with five members of England's top seven averaging below 29 throughout the series, while Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope appear completely bereft of form and confidence.
Australia's dominance has thoroughly dismantled the Bazball philosophy
|REUTERS
Options for change remain severely limited, with Jacob Bethell the sole reserve batsman in the touring party despite having played minimal cricket this year.
England must now avoid wallowing in self-pity if they are to prevent a 5-0 whitewash, though their record in dead rubbers offers little encouragement.
A Test victory on Australian soil would end a 15-year drought and provide something tangible to carry into the 2027 series.
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