England collapsed spectacularly to lose the fifth Test within three days and got the 5-0 whitewash of Ashes series.

England were bowled out for 166 inside 32 overs to be defeated by 281 runs in Sydney. In the middle of game, they lost four wickets in 11 balls. Mitchell Johnson once again took three more important wickets with serious pace to end with 37 wickets in the series at an average of 13.9. Ryan Harris cleaned up the tail to claim 5-25.

It is only the third whitewash in Ashes historyAll of England’s senior batsmen once again failed on a tour when not a single one has totaled 300 runs, and when six Australians have well in excess. It is only the third whitewash in Ashes history, and is arguably the worst tour in England’s cricket history after they came into this series as favorites’ and against a side beaten in seven of their previous nine Tests.

Australia scored 10 centuries to England’s one in the series, had the top six batsmen by average and three of the best four bowlers by average. Man of the series Johnson’s 37 wickets came at just 13.9 apiece, while Harris ended with 22 at 19, Lyon 19 at 29 and Peter Siddle 16 at 24.

The magnitude of the latest defeat will bring with it much soul-searching in the England camp, with questions over the unresolved future of Coach Andy Flower and several of the players.

No-one saw this whitewash coming, but that does not make its impact any less damning.

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