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England’s Ashes humuliation was completed in Melbourne as they fell to defeat by Australia, losing by an innings and 122 runs, as the hosts sealed a historic 16-0 whitewash.
Australian spinners Ash Gardner and Alana King were on magical form as they bamboozled England’s batters, leaving deep scars and hard questions for the tourists to take away from the series.
After being skittled for 170 on day one, England collapsed from 79 for one to 148 all out in replying to Australia’s 440.
Spin twins Gardner and King executed the damage with nine wickets between them, finding both turn on the pitch and chinks in the England batting armour with equal efficiency.
Clearly there will be a thorough review into how England have flopped so badly down under, just 18 months after the two sides drew an exciting series 8-8 in the northern hemisphere.
England’s white-ball frailties had already been exposed in 3-0 defeats in the ODI and T20 formats of the game.
The pink ball served to compound matters as Australia celebrated a maiden whitewash in the multi-format series since its inception in 2013.
There was rare contentment for England in the morning session of day three as Australia, resuming on 422 for five, lost their remaining wickets for 18.
Beth Mooney added the two runs she needed to complete her maiden Test hundred and, in doing so, became the first Australian woman to have centuries across all formats.
But the first hour belonged to England as Mooney finally fell for 106 and Sophie Ecclestone finished with five for 143, as the tourists’ extra energy with the ball and in the field was rewarded.
Wickets for spinner Ecclestone, though, were a danger sign and Gardner and King were ready to write their names into Ashes folklore after Darcie Brown removed Maia Bouchier for one.
Boucher has had a troubled series and her feet were stuck in the crease as Brown nipped one back between bat and pad to strike the middle stump.
It was the sixth time in eight innings across this Ashes that England’s opening partnership had failed to reach double figures.
There was brief hope that England could muster a relevant fightback as Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight built a second-wicket partnership.
Their union had put on 73 when skipper Knight nudged Gardner to short leg and Phoebe Litchfield took a sharp catch.
Wickets fell at regular intervals from that point as Nat Sciver-Brunt, on 18, was beaten by a King delivery that straightened and trudged back to the pavilion after losing out to the decision review system (DRS).
Sophia Dunkley went for four to the ball of the day, possibly the series, as King pitched one outside leg stump.
The ball spun extravagantly and hit the top of Dunkley’s off stump. Fittingly leg-spinner King was bowling from the Shane Warne End of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The carnage continued as Danni Wyatt-Hodge swept Gardner straight into the hands of Brown and Beaumont dragged King on to her stumps for a stoic 47.
Amy Jones deflected Gardner into the gloves of Mooney off the final ball of the session as England reached the dinner break 117 for seven.
Ryan MacDonald-Gay smashed a King full toss to Brown at deep mid-wicket and Ecclestone pulled Gardner straight to her spin partner on the legside.
There was an almost comic finale as the last England pair Lauren Filer and Lauren Bell somehow avoided dismissal time and time again in 11.2 overs – the second longest partnership of the innings.
But England’s luck eventually ran out as Filer chipped to Annabel Sutherland at short mid-on for King to finish with figures of five for 53 from 23.4 overs. Gardner took four for 39 from 25 overs.
King ended the series with 23 wickets at an average of 11.2, equalling Gardner’s record Ashes mark in 2023.
additional reporting by PA
