Ashes 2025-26 [WATCH]: Brydon Carse fumes at Jake Weatherald and umpire Ahsan Raza after a failed DRS call on Day 5 of the SCG Test

Ashes 2025-26 reached its thrilling conclusion on Day 5 of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Australia chased down a modest target of 160 to secure a five-wicket victory over England on January 8, 2026. This win sealed a commanding 4-1 series triumph for the hosts, retaining the urn with dominance despite England’s spirited resistance. Amid the tension, a heated DRS controversy involving England’s Brydon Carse injected fire into proceedings, highlighting ongoing frustrations with umpiring technology.​

Brydon Carse’s frustration boils over after controversial DRS call over Jake Weatherald on Day 5

Tensions boiled over in the 6.4 over of Australia’s second innings when Carse delivered a back-of-a-length ball angled into Jake Weatherald, who attempted a risky cut shot. Umpire Ahsan Raza ruled not out on a caught-behind appeal, prompting England captain Ben Stokes to review immediately. Snicko showed a faint murmur as the ball passed the bat, but third umpire Kumar Dharmasena deemed it insufficient for overturning the call, leaving Weatherald at the crease.​

Carse, visibly fuming, stormed toward Raza demanding answers, his competitive fire spilling over in the high-stakes chase. Stokes intervened, pulling his bowler away before engaging in a prolonged debate with the umpire himself, echoing England’s series-long gripes with Snicko inconsistencies—like prior Adelaide incidents involving Alex Carey and Jamie Smith. Weatherald, unfazed, departed soon after for 34, caught off Josh Tongue, but the episode drew boos from English fans and calls for Ultra Edge adoption.

Here’s the video:

Tempers flared between the two sides after this review. | |

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau)

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Australia seals Ashes 2025-26 series with dominance against England

England’s first innings tallied 384, powered by Joe Root‘s masterful 160 and Harry Brook‘s brisk 84, but Australia’s bowlers—led by Michael Neser‘s 4-60—kept control. Australia responded with a mammoth 567, Travis Head‘s explosive 163 and Steven Smith‘s gritty 138 propelling them to a 183-run lead, despite Josh Tongue‘s 3-97 haul.​

In their second dig, England fought back with Jacob Bethell‘s heroic 154, setting 160 for victory but falling to 342 as Beau Webster claimed 3-64 and Mitchell Starc took 3-72. Australia stuttered in the chase, slumping to 121/5 with Tongue striking thrice (3-42), but Carey (16no) and Cameron Green (22no) steadied nerves in an unbroken 40-run stand to clinch it in 31.2 overs. Travis Head earned Player of the Match (163 & 29), while Starc dominated the series with 156 runs and 31 wickets.​

The SCG finale drew a record 211,032 fans across five days, underscoring the rivalry’s pull as Australia extended their home Ashes streak. For England, Bethell’s ton offered solace, but the 4-1 loss exposed bowling frailties on wearing pitches.

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