Cameron Green tears England’s top-order apart as Australia claims 4-0 series victory

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

Originally published as Cameron Green tears England’s top-order apart as Australia claims 4-0 series victory