Mission accomplished for spymasters Flower and Strauss. No-one would have predicted that England would record three victories by an innings before the series but that is exactly what they did, and where better to seal the series but the wonderful Sydney Cricket Ground.
Here's how the victorious XI rated in Sydney (see Australia marks out of 10 here):
Andrew Strauss - 7: Gave England's innings a lightning start to regain immediately the momentum that his side had lost because of the Johnson and Hilfenhaus partnership. Played around a straight one from Hilfenhaus and set the field too deep to Johnson, but has now joined the immortals by captaining England to Ashes series wins home and away. A knighthood awaits.
Alastair Cook - 9.5: Another gem of an innings even if the luck was with him when Beer overstepped. The transformation from the batsman at war with his technique in the summer against Pakistan is quite remarkable. Now looks so at ease and so untroubled at the crease that he could bat without being dismissed for days - and that is exactly what he has done in this series.
Jonathan Trott - 2: So he is mortal after all. After his machine like domination of Australia in Melbourne where he was unbeaten after 499 minutes and 345 balls he was gone in the blink of an eye at the SCG for a six-ball duck. Never mind, he still has a test average of 61.53.
Kevin Pietersen - 5: After his modest claim before this Test that Ashes success here and in 2009 was all down to his martyr-like sacrifice of the captaincy, Pietersen again looked in good touch at the crease. Resisted the temptation to blast Beer out of the attack whilst demonstrating that any fallibility against left-arm spin seems to have been eradicated from his game. Then added to his career catalogue of poor dismissals by getting out hooking Johnson with just four overs of the day left. Maybe the presence of David Hasselhoff at the SCG was to blame?
Paul Collingwood - 4: The retiring hero chipped in with the wicket of Mr Cricket on what proved to be his last delivery in Test cricket. Failed again with the bat, but let that not diminish from the memory of the hero of Cardiff, Centurion and Cape Town. Farewell England's working class hero.
Ian Bell - 9: It took some time but finally Bell has an Ashes hundred to his name and a classy knock it was too even if he courted controversy and luck in equal measure along the way. His partnership with Cook wrested control of the match once and for all and made the final denouement inevitable.
Matt Prior - 9: Took his tally of catches for the series to 23 and like Bell, hit his first Ashes ton and the quickest by an Englishman against Australia since a certain Ian Botham in the never-to-be-forgotten Headingley Test of 1981. What a luxury it is for England to have a batsman of his beligerence coming in at 7.
Tim Bresnan - 8: Followed up his surprisingly impressive performance at the MCG with another in Sydney to prove that his bowling has come on in leaps and bounds from last summer. Batted well too, which gives England a five bowler option with tghe larger-than-life Bresnan at 7.
Graeme Swann - 7: For once, the SCG pitch did not favour the spinners so Swann had to be content to play a support role once again, and as at Melbourne he did it with some aplomb tying up one end and getting a couple of wickets. Exciting cameo with the bat, with the 17 runs he took from one Johnson over particularly enjoyable.
Chris Tremlett - 9: A lot of his fellow Australians chuckled when Shane Warne suggestedbefore the series that Tremlett could be the best bowler in the world if he got his head right, but after taking his tally to 17 wickets in just 3 matches who's laughing now? Troubled all the Aussie batsman by moving the new and old ball and especially with his lethal extra bounce. Looks like being Anderson's new ball partner for some time now and will enjoy telling his grandchildren again and again that he took the wicket that clinched an Ashes series win in Australia.
James Anderson - 9: Outstanding again with 7 wickets in the match to finish the series with 24 wickets to consign the memory of his performances in the 2006/07 series to the waste paper basket of history. The boy has become a man.
Where next?
1st Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10
2nd Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10
3rd Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10
4th Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10
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