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Australia vs England The Ashes 5th Test Tips - Aussies to bounce back in Khawaja farewell

Adam Cusworth

Editor

Last updated: Fri 02 Jan 2026 11:56

Adam Cusworth 02 Jan 2026

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Australia seeks to win the last Ashes Test at the SCG using patient batting and strategic bowling.
England hopes for momentum swings to break Australia's dominance despite weather threats.
SCG conditions require early seam movement and help spinners later, favoring Australia's strengths.

Australia vs England The Ashes 5th Test Tips

Australia will bounce back with a win over England in in th 5th and final Ashes Test in what shapes as highly anticipated conclusion to the series.

After the scrutiny and extremes of the MCG surface in the 4th Test, Sydney represents a reset — both in pitch behaviour and tactical demands — and historically it has rewarded teams prepared to bat time and apply sustained pressure with the ball.

While the SCG typically offers its clearest assistance early, we can expect the pitch curator’s not to go overboard after the Melbourne test folded within two days.

New-ball seam movement, particularly for bowlers who hit a full length and attack the stumps, is a recurring feature in Sydney but as the match progresses, the surface slows, footmarks widen, and spin becomes increasingly influential.

Expect to see players dig in with the bat this time around and some much higher innings totals to be posted.

That profile should aligns closely with how Australia have controlled the series. Their preferred method in Sydney will be straightforward: bat long if conditions allow, post a total that keeps England on the field, then let the surface do the work over time.

England, by contrast, will look to disrupt that rhythm early. Their best passages this series have come when they have scored freely before the ball softens.

While it is unlikely that we will see a draw, rain always remains part of the conversation in Sydney. Six of the last 20 Tests at the SCG have ended in draws, often influenced by weather interruptions. Forecasts suggest some rain across the Test window, but enough clear periods to produce a result if both sides press the game forward.

With the pitch expected to lean back toward traditional SCG characteristics after the MCG criticism, patience and control should again be the decisive currencies. This will suit Australia down to a tee.

Australia have won 16 of the past 19 matches against England in Australia
Six of the past 20 matches between the two sides at the SCG have resulted in draws
Usman Khawaja scored 100 in each innings in the 2021/22 SCG Ashes Test
Ben Stokes made 66 for England in the 2021/22 Ashes Test

Head to Head

Australia’s broader dominance of England in home conditions provides the series context. They have won 16 of the past 19 Tests against England in Australia, while there have been two draws.

At the SCG, however, the rivalry has been far more balanced. Over the last six Ashes Tests in Sydney, Australia have won three, England two, with one draw. Looking further back, the last 20 Tests at the venue show seven wins apiece and six draws, reinforcing Sydney’s reputation as the most neutral ground in Australian cricket.

The most recent Ashes Test at the SCG in 2021/22 ended in a draw, with England nine wickets down before rain intervened late on the final day. In that match, Usman Khawaja produced one of the great SCG batting performances with scores of 137 and 101, anchoring Australia across both innings.

Steve Smith contributed a composed 67 in the first innings, while Ben Stokes top-scored for England with 66. With the ball, Scott Boland claimed seven wickets for the match, repeatedly exposing the value of seam movement and relentless accuracy in Sydney conditions.

Australia Form & Team News

Australia lead the series 3-1 and have stood up at the key moments. They lost the battle in Melbourne when the pitch began to flatten out slightly on Day 2 but in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, their batting has generally delivered, while their bowling has applied sustained pressure, dragging England into mistakes.

Series statistics underline that control. Travis Head leads Australia’s batting output with 437 runs at an average above 54, while Alex Carey has added 291 runs at nearly 50, providing stability through the middle order. Australia’s runs have been built through time at the crease rather than short bursts, a method that has consistently placed pressure back on England’s bowlers.

With the ball, Australia’s strike power has been decisive. Mitchell Starc leads the series wicket tally with 26 wickets at an average under 18, repeatedly breaking partnerships when England appeared set. Scott Boland has contributed 16 wickets with relentless accuracy, while Australia’s broader seam group has maintained economy rates around three runs per over through key passages of play.

That trend is particularly well suited to the SCG. Australia’s bowlers historically thrive here because they are prepared to bowl long spells, hit a full length, and allow movement off the seam to do the work rather than hunting wickets with short-term aggression. Scott Boland’s record in Sydney is especially striking, with 16 wickets at an average of 14.62, built almost entirely on discipline and repeatability.

Australia squad

Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

England Form & Team News

England arrive in Sydney buoyed by their Boxing Day victory, but the broader series numbers still highlight the challenge they face. Their win at the MCG was built on momentum swings rather than sustained dominance, and translating that approach to the SCG has historically proven difficult.

Across the series, England’s batting contributions have been intermittent. Zak Crawley leads their run-scoring with 256 runs at an average of 32, while Joe Root has added 234 at just over 33. Harry Brook has contributed useful runs in patches, but England have lacked the sustained innings that have underpinned Australia’s control. Ben Stokes’s batting average for the series sits below his career standards, reflecting how often England have been forced to play catch-up rather than dictate terms.

The recurring issue has been England’s response to pressure. When run rates have dipped, England have frequently attempted to force momentum rather than rebuild, leading to clusters of wickets.

England’s bowling resources also remain under strain. Injuries have limited their ability to rotate fast bowlers aggressively, and the SCG traditionally rewards batters once bowlers lose consistency. Without prolonged pressure and a genuine spinner that can lock down one end, they may face some long days in the field.

England squad

Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue

Verdict

Australia v England 5th Ashes Test

Aussies to win with Khawaja among runs in farewell. Stokes to offer resistance for England

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