Ashes: England crushed by Australia in final Test

England's miserable Ashes tour ended with one last calamitous batting failure as Australia surged to a 146-run victory in the final Test and claim a 4-0 series win.

The tourists were bowled out for 124 to lose the day-night Test inside three days in Hobart.

Mark Wood's superb 6-37 had earlier helped dismiss Australia for 155 in their second innings to give England an outside chance of a remarkable win.

Instead, Australia repeat their margin of victory from four years ago and extend England's winless run down under to 15 Tests.

Overall, Joe Root's side have won only one of their past 14 Tests since February of last year.

By the time they return to Australia in 2025 it will be 14 years since their last success in an away Ashes Test.

Another inevitable defeat

There were times on another freewheeling day of an entertaining Test that England might have had hope of salvaging a consolation win from their demoralising tour.

A vital decision went against them when Chris Woakes was judged to have marginally over-stepped when he bowled Alex Carey for 19. Had Carey been dismissed then, it would have left Australia 91-7 - but the wicketkeeper went on to make a crucial 49.

However, that moment was rendered irrelevant by the way England spinelessly capitulated, ending the series with another batting collapse that has become a characteristic of their Test cricket.

This tour may well be remembered for the time in which it was played, with the Covid pandemic casting doubt firstly on whether England would take part and then played a role in their disrupted preparation.

Still, that should not be an excuse for their substandard performance and all aspects of English cricket will come under review in the aftermath of yet another drubbing down under.

Australia, a team who had played only four Tests in the previous 18 months and had to replace captain Tim Paine with Pat Cummins on the eve of the series, were vastly superior and will be favourites to end a 22-year wait for a series victory in the UK when they travel in 2023.

More to follow.

• Think you'd make a good manager? Find out how far your decisions would take Phoenix FC's bid for glory
• Is cutting carbs really a healthy diet to follow? Discover the facts behind one of the most searched health regimes