England’s ignominious Ashes ends in defeat and a lifetime of regret
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Rob Smyth Thu, 8 January 2026 at 4:50 am UTC·40 min read Ben Stokes ended the fifth Test incapacitated and with his team broken by an Ashes series that will be remembered as English cricket’s great missed opportunity. To be beaten 4-1 in an away Ashes is not unusual but to lose by that scoreline to this shaky Australian side when England set out with such hope will cause a lifetime of regret for some.Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement “A three out of ten performance” was how Stokes rated his team’s series and also said it is time for some “home truths” behind the scenes. England ended 15 winless years with victory in Melbourne, and Jacob Bethell announced himself in his sixth Test...