England's troubled Ashes series ends in defeat to Australia as bosses promise 'necessary changes'

Head coach Brendon McCullum, managing director Rob Key and skipper Ben Stokes have steered the project for three-and-a-half years, and all three face scrutiny from the ECB as the governing body determines the leadership group's future.

The final day had an end-of-term atmosphere, despite Australia losing five wickets while chasing 160.

Josh Tongue stepped up admirably in the absence of an injured Stokes, finishing with figures of three for 42 and demonstrating precisely why leaving him out of the opening two Tests proved misguided.

The fast bowler dismissed the dangerous Head for 29 when the Australian slogged a catch into the air, then removed Weatherald for 34 with a bouncer before bowling the retiring Usman Khawaja off an inside edge for just six.

Stokes himself defied an adductor strain that had effectively ended his match on day four, standing stiffly at slip despite being unable to bowl — a captain determined to remain with his team until the bitter end.

Travis Head and Mitchell Starc established themselves as the dominant forces throughout the series, performing at a level no English player came close to matching.

Head's brief cameo in the final innings brought his remarkable series tally to 629 runs at an average of 62.90, while Starc collected two more wickets to finish with 31 dismissals at just 19.93.

The pair proved instrumental at every stage of the contest, and their contributions in the closing moments of the Sydney Test provided a fitting conclusion to their outstanding campaigns.

Both Australians operated in a class entirely separate from anything England could offer across the entire tour.

The DRS system faced yet another controversy as Brydon Carse was denied the wicket of Jake Weatherald despite a noise clearly aligning with the ball passing the bat.

TV umpire Kumar Dharmasena judged a small ripple on the Snicko technology was insufficient evidence, a decision that left Carse visibly furious, given similar scenarios had gone against English batsmen earlier in the series.

The technology has been largely discredited over the past eight weeks.

Carse's reaction perhaps crossed a line when he confronted on-field umpire Ahsan Raza, at one point placing his arm on the official's shoulder before Stokes intervened to move him along.

Since the defeat, the England and Wales Cricket Board has initiated an immediate review into the Ashes campaign, with chief executive Richard Gould promising "necessary changes over the coming months".

Gould said: "This Ashes tour began with significant hope and anticipation, and it is therefore deeply disappointing that we have been unable to fulfil our ambition of winning the Ashes in Australia.

He added: "While there were moments of strong performance and resilience during the series, including a hard-fought victory in the fourth Test in Melbourne, we were not consistent enough across all conditions and phases of the contest, and Australia ultimately deserved to retain the Ashes.

"We will take many lessons from this tour and are determined to improve quickly. Our focus is on regaining the Ashes in 2027. A thorough review of the campaign is already underway. This will cover tour planning and preparation, individual performance and behaviours, and our ability to adapt and respond effectively as circumstances require.

"The men’s team now moves on to Sri Lanka ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which begins in February, and we will implement the necessary changes over the coming months.

"We are grateful for the courtesy and hospitality shown to us by Cricket Australia throughout the tour.

"As always, we are indebted to the travelling supporters who followed the team through thick and thin. Their loyalty and support have been humbling, and we are committed to repaying their faith with stronger performances in the future."

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