‘This was a disaster’: England implodes in pathetic end to Ashes

England’s cricketers will return home a laughing stock, having once again failed to register a victory on an Ashes tour down under.

Justin Langer has the support of Steve Waugh.

England’s cricketers have kindly given us one final batting collapse to enjoy before they return home, with Australia securing a comprehensive 4-0 Ashes series triumph at Blundstone Arena on Sunday evening.

Joe Root’s men crumbled in an abysmal collapse of 9/42 under artificial lights, suffering a 146-run defeat in Hobart.

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Earlier on day three, English speedster Mark Wood claimed career-best figures of 6/37 to help bowl out Australia for 155.

England was set an unlikely target of 271 for victory, and the visitors got off to a superb start with openers Rory Burns and Zak Crawley combining for a 68-run partnership.

But young gun Cameron Green ripped through England top-order on either side of the tea break, removing both openers and No. 3 batter Dawid Malan in quick succession.

Cameron Green scored 228 runs at 32.57 and took 13 wickets at 15.76 in the Ashes series.

No Australian has scored more runs at a higher average and taken more wickets at a lower average in a Test series.

— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) January 16, 2022

From there it was all one-way traffic in the Tasmanian capital, with England’s middle order failing to offer any sort of resistance to the Aussie quicks.

Victorian cult hero Scott Boland, captain Pat Cummins and Green each snared three scalps as England was rolled for 124.

Off-spinner Nathan was not required in Hobart, not bowling a single delivery in a Test match for the first time in his career.

Sydney’s rain was the only thing that had prevented Australia from claiming the fourth 5-0 whitewash in Ashes history.

“This has been embarrassing,” former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

“They’ve just thrown the towel in.

“There’s a real problem in English cricket.”

England’s highest score of the series was 297 at the Gabba — the last time England failed to pass 300 in an Ashes series was 1958/59.

Australian great Ricky Ponting told Channel 7: “Tough batting conditions it has to be said, but to fall over like that, that probably just sums up the entire summer for this England Test cricket team.

“Not enough quality, not enough fight and they haven’t been able to grasp the big moments in this series like the Australians have. Fitting way for it to end as well, for the series to end. Captain Cummins with the last wicket, to walk away with a four nil series win to Australia.”

Travis Head was named Player of the Match and Player of the Series — the South Australian was the highest run-scorer of the five-Test series with 357 runs at 59.50 and two centuries.

Didn’t end 5-0 but that was worse than 06/07 and 13/14. Those tours had some uplifting moments. This was a disaster from first to last ball. #Ashes

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) January 16, 2022

. @ECB_cricket genuinely pathetic. Embarrassing. #ashes

— Mike Jennings (@mikejjennings) January 16, 2022

England captain Joe Root said after the defeat: “It’s been a really tough tour for us, we’ve played good cricket in parts but we’ve just not managed to string a whole game together. It’s something we have to learn from as a group.

“In all areas in general I do think we’ve been outplayed. Credit to Australia for that, they deserve to win the series.”

Cummins declared: “It’s pretty crazy, even as a professional cricketer these are the series you have in your diary a couple of years out ... It’s just huge. Really pumped.

“It feels like we’re building towards something big.”

England legend Ian Botham told Channel 7: “It’s been embarrassing, if I am honest, gutless.

“I thought the way that they performed today will have disappointed me and disappointed everyone back home. They should be disappointed in that dressing room as well, with the performance.

“The one thing we have to do now is take our heads out of the sand and we need to pull together and prioritise red ball cricket and get back in, because if we’re not careful the Eskimos will be beating us.”

Pat Cummins of Australia. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Starc joins the party

Mitchell Starc has snared his first wicket of the innings, removing the dangerous Ben Stokes for 5.

Stokes couldn’t resist attacking a short ball from the left-arm quick, and Nathan Lyon claimed a classy catch at deep square leg.

Ollie Pope joins skipper Joe Root in the middle.

22yo tearing through Poms top-order

Cameron Green has obliterated England’s top-order in Hobart, claiming three quick wickets to shift momentum firmly back in Australia’s favour.

After removing opener Rory Burns before the tea break, the 22-year-old dismissed England No. 3 Dawid Malan for 10 before finding Zak Crawley’s outside edge for 36.

The visitors had suddenly lost 3/15, with two new batters at the crease.

7News journalist Taylor Auerbach tweeted: “You bloody beauty Cameron Green! Could be a match winning spell this. One of the great things about this #Ashes series has been watching him blossom. Champion in the making.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan posted: “Cam Green is exceptional!”

Cricket reporter Andrew Wu tweeted: “What a luxury to have a No. 6 who can bowl like Cameron Green. Is there a more exciting player in Australian cricket?”

Green has become the first cricketer to score 200+ runs, take 13+ wickets and claim 3+ catches in an Ashes series before their 23rd birthday.

Cameron Green's got 3-19 since coming into the attack with England none down:

. 4 . . . .
W . . . . 4
4 . . . 1 4
. . . . W .
. W 1 . . 1#Ashespic.twitter.com/Zg8kt7RrWQ

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 16, 2022

Green gets first breakthrough

Young all-rounder Cameron Green has broken the partnership, removing England opener Rory Burns for 26.

Burns chopped the ball back onto his stumps in what was ultimately the final ball before the tea break in Hobart.

England off to a flyer in run chase

England’s openers have got off to a flyer and are scoring freely. Zak Crawley and Rory Burns brought up their 50-run partnership in around 10 overs.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan thinks an upset could be on the cards

He tweeted: Wake up in England. Genuine Chance of a Test win looming !!”

Australia bowled out for 155

The Aussies kept England in the game with a poor batting performance in their second innings.

Alex Carey topscored with 49 and only three others reached double figures.

Carey given two lives

Alex Carey was given a life after Chris Woakes had bowled him, only for replays to show Woakes had overstepped the crease by the slimmest of margins.

Carey was on his way off the field but was called back, with the third umpire unable to see any part of Woakes’ foot behind the crease. It was England’s 32nd no ball of the Ashes.

He was then given another life when he successfully reviewed after he was given out lbw off Stuart Broad.

But Carey can count himself extremely lucky. He was only saved by DRS, which determined Broad’s delivery pitched just outside the line of the stumps.

More than half the ball has to be in line with the stumps, and it was a matter of millimetres.

Stuart Broad denied a wicket by less than half of the width of the seam.#Ashespic.twitter.com/bacKnZX3mN

— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) January 16, 2022

Australia capitulating as England fights back

Australia made a shaky start to Day 3, losing three early wickets at the hands of Mark Wood.

Nightwatchman Scott Boland didn’t last long and soon after Travis Head was heading back to the pavilion for eight.

Wood targeted Head with a barrage of short balls and it paid off, with Head unnecessarily playing at a ball that he gloved down the leg side.

Wood also used the short ball tactic on Steve Smith, who was caught at fine leg attempting a hook shot for 27.

Smith’s dismissal means this will be the first Ashes series since 2010-11 in which he hasn’t scored a century.

His career average has also fallen below 60 (to 59.87) for the first time since 2017.

Mark Wood was on fire for England as Australia collapsed. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

Steve Waugh backs under fire Justin Langer

Even with a shaky start to the second batting dig, Australia appears on track to win the fifth Test and cap a 4-0 Ashes victory over the Poms.

There has been much discussion about the future of coach Justin Langer once his contract expires following Australia’s tour of Pakistan in March.

During last summer’s series against India, reports emerged of a rift in the dressing room, with many players said to be unhappy with Langer’s coaching style.

Captain Pat Cummins opted not to endorse Langer staying on, even after Australia retained the Ashes by winning the Boxing Day Test.

Cricket Australia has also said the players will have a say in the coming months on whether Langer will continue as coach.

But the legendary opener’s former captain Steve Waugh has gone into bat for him.

In an Instagram post on Saturday night, Waugh said Langer’s ability to turn around the team’s culture in the wake of the sandpaper scandal in 2018, as well winning the T20 World Cup and the Ashes was proof he should remain as coach.

The ex-Aussie skipper said on Instagram: “Position in doubt? Influenced the culture and character of the team after the Cape Town debacle.

“Coached the team to a winning 20/20 World Cup and now to a commanding Ashes victory.

“Time to put the rumours and innuendo to rest. #respect #culture #character.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan commented on Waugh’s post: “Totally agree.”