Australia v England - 5th Test at Sydney

So then it ended, as it could have so easily been foretold and yet, until the third day here in Sydney, most didn't believe it could happen. England retained the Ashes 3-1, having inflicted three innings defeat on the hosts, the first time such a heavy thrashing has been inflicted. The final indignity was inflicted before an audience which must have been 95% pro England. Even free entry it seems, was not enough to encourage Australians to come to the ground and help their boys through this tough moment.

Matt Prior held five second innings catches and seven for the match, the same number as Melbourne and 23 catches for the series. He averaged fifty and scored his first hundred against Australia in this match. His role in encouraging his team mates need not be underestimated.

Swann, Anderson and Tremlett cleaned up the tail but not before Peter Siddle and Steve Smith stood up where others had lay down, adding the biggest partnership of the innings (86) for the 8th wicket. These are two men we need to keep to build a new Australia. Smith remained 54 not out with that combination of the unorthodox and solid defence which makes his batting look so unusual. After today, doubt his heart and his connection with that Baggy Green no longer.

When Beer was bowled by Tremlett and Australia had almost exactly emulated its first innings, the ground erupted in a fitting tribute to an English team which has outplayed the home boys in every aspect of a game they invented by Australia has traditionally been better at. No more, I'm afraid.

With Collingwood savouring his last moments as a Test cricketer in such glorious triumph, things hardly seem likely to have ever have been better to be an Englishman. Long after others had celebrated in public and left the arena, Collingwood was still thanking the Barmy Army and making a slow circuit of the SCG's extremities to say thank you. After such great service, no one would have begrudged him still being their at nightfall.

Michael Clarke spoke all media who were interested and made it clear he wanted to a change. He stood down from Twenty20 in order to focus on scoring runs. Even the captaincy was of little interest to a man who had it all laid out before him. It was clear, he wanted someone else to do the leadership job ... he just wants runs. Between engagements in the post result mania on the field, he removed his cap, grabbing his head in frustration and mental exhaustion. The depth of the problem Australia is facing seemed to dawn on him for the first time but despite what was blindingly obvious, he claimed there was no crisis in Australian cricket and the solution lies in the current men in the change room. Brave words perhaps but foolish words certainly and not the words for an Australian captain to use as a rallying point. Words which sound unerringly like those of Ricky Ponting.

Alastair Cook took all the plaudits coming to him with a man of the match award and the ultimate but obvious award of man of the series and yet the still young man couldn't pin down the reason for his success when interviewed by Mark Taylor. The Barmy Army found an immediate answer for him, singing again of the quality of Mitchell Johnson bowling. Who could argue?

Andrew Strauss contributions from across the full range of his team, the support crew and even the Barmy Army. For him, England won because everyone had a job and everyone performed it to and beyond their best. Perhaps he might have added that England have redefined the concept of team this summer in an age of the individual. The game will be better off as a result.

The Australians were a disconsolate lot as they stood in close array, watching England take the credit so richly deserved in between long glimpses down at the SCG turf, hopefully in embarrassment and even shame. Even more important for Australia's future, it's to be hoped that after the team left the playing surface to the victors and their celebrations, that an old hand like Ian Chappell visited the dressing room and took the likes of Hughes, Smith, Beer and Khawaja to the window and made them watch until their stomach churned and made them face just how bad this felt. Australia's resurgence may well depend on them understanding, hating and wanting to remove any chance of it happening again.

As for the result, perhaps the following warning should have been heeded on 17/11/10 when it was released in the media ...

"England have their best chances to win in Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney. Australia have their best chance to win in Perth. Adelaide could jump either way but is most likely to be a draw. Therefore, I'm suggesting an English series victory of 3-1."

Yes and you read it here on the Cricket Tragics first and now last. More analysis in the next few days but for now, English deserve to savour the results of much meticulous planning and consistently excellent execution.