Adelaide: This team was supposed to be Australia’s weakest Ashes side since 2010-11. This team has repeatedly been referred to as “not the strongest Australian side”, “not vintage” or “not as good as earlier teams”. This team has at times been called too old, too outspoken, too injury-affected and even, bizarrely, too woke.

What a load of bulldust. This team is bloody good.

The Australians celebrate their series win.Credit: Getty Images

About 2.10pm local time in Adelaide, they sealed the destiny of the Ashes in the space of three matches, or, by another measure, just 11 days. It was emphatic. England did their best to provide a Rorke’s Drift rearguard, helped by a hamstring injury to Nathan Lyon, but Australia still found a way through.

After Lyon and captain Pat Cummins had scythed through the top six on day four, Mitchell Starc reminded the 20,643 spectators present why he is surely a lock for man of the series, claiming Jamie Smith, Will Jacks and Jofra Archer before Scott Boland hammered in the final nail.

Fittingly, Marnus Labuschagne clasped the last catch from Josh Tongue, having epitomised what has been a sublime Australian fielding display all series. To further that point, the match award was rightly handed to Alex Carey for a century, a 70 and seven dismissals.

In the closing celebrations, Cummins hugged and lifted deputy Steve Smith with particular affection. Cummins’ back, Josh Hazlewood’s hamstring, Usman Khawaja’s spasms, Smith’s........

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