Sports
Australia win fifth Ashes Test, wrap up series with 4-1 triumph
- Australia chase down 160-run target on final day before tea.
- England form cordon to welcome Khawaja to crease in last match.
- Take credit for making game of it, not being ground into Sydney dirt.
SYDNEY: Australia had a few nervous moments but safely chased down their 160-run victory target before tea on the final day of the fifth Ashes Test on Thursday for a five-wicket victory and a 4-1 series triumph.
Seamer Josh Tongue led England’s battling rearguard with 3-42 but Alex Carey got Australia across the line with a four through the covers in mid afternoon in the company of Cameron Green.
England will take credit for making a game of it and not being ground into the Sydney dirt as previous tourists have in end-of-series dead rubbers at the famous old ground.
Without the bowling of injured captain Ben Stokes, however, defending 160 was always going to be an uphill challenge on a good wicket which allowed the second day-five action of the series.
Stokes exhorted his players from the slips but Australia’s openers got the target under 100 runs before Travis Head, whose third century of the series underpinned his team’s first-innings 567, ballooned a shot to midwicket off Tongue for 29.
Jake Weatherald followed for 34, again caught off Tongue’s bowling, to bring up lunch with Australia 89 runs from their goal.
It was 15 years and a day since England won the final Test of the 2010-11 series at the same ground by an innings and 83 runs — the last time they won an Ashes series Down Under.
The England players formed a cordon to welcome Khawaja to the crease but Tongue’s bowling was less friendly and the lefthander played on for six after facing seven balls.
Labuschagne had been dropped on 20 off Tongue when Bethell failed to hold onto the ball despite an acrobatic leap at backward point.
He was unable to make the most of his reprieve, however, running himself out for 37 with 39 runs still required for victory.
Carey, who made 16 not out, and Green, who finished unbeaten on 22, nearly reprised Labuschagne’s exit with a classic mix-up after an overthrow but eventually made their ground to secure the victory.
Earlier, England resumed on 302-8 but Mitchell Starc struck a major blow to their hopes of setting Australia a testing target when he had Bethell caught behind for 154.
Bethell’s superb maiden Test century offered plenty of promise for the future and was essentially the difference between an innings defeat for England and Australia batting again.
Starc returned to remove Tongue for six to end the innings on 342, the left-arm quick finishing with figures of 3-72 and a total of 31 wickets over the series.
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New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart set social media buzzing with speculation about the team’s next head coach after fans attempted to lip-read the rookie on the Ole Miss sideline during Thursday night’s Fiesta Bowl.
There are currently eight teams in the NFL on the hunt for a new head coach, including the Giants, who fired Brian Daboll midseason following another missed playoffs. Several notable names have since been thrown into the pool of available coaches, and Dart appeared to have given fans a clue as to who the Big Blue has been eyeing.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart stands on the sideline during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff semifinal game between Miami (Florida) and Mississippi in Glendale, Arizona, on Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Dart was on the sidelines for his alma mater Ole Miss during the team’s 31-27 loss to Miami in the Fiesta Bowl when the broadcast picked up the 22-year-old having a conversation.
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Although his comments were inaudible, social media users attempted to read Dart’s lips, prompting speculation that he said “Harbaugh or Stefanski,” a reference to former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Although it remains unclear what Dart was truly saying, both coaches are widely considered among the most sought-after free agents currently in the NFL.
Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens walks the field prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
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The Ravens’ decision to fire Harbaugh after 18 seasons — a tenure that included multiple division titles, several AFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl victory — rattled the league and drew interest from numerous teams, including some that already had head coaches in place.
While the Giants have yet to interview Harbaugh, it seems inevitable they will.
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski walks on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
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The Giants have already conducted interviews with Stefanski, Vance Joseph, Raheem Morris, and Antonio Pierce.
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A Manchester United fan group has branded the club “a laughing stock” while announcing fresh plans to protest against the hierarchy.
The 1958 group have previously organised demonstrations against those in charge at Old Trafford, particularly majority owners the Glazer family.
They have accused United’s leadership — including minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe — of “turning the club into a circus” and say they intend to protest ahead of the Premier League game against Fulham on Feb. 1.
Anger directed towards British billionaire Ratcliffe has been growing since the 73-year-old assumed control in February 2024.
An anti-Ratcliffe banner was displayed by United supporters in the away end at Turf Moor during the 2-2 draw with Burnley on Wednesday — the first game since the sacking of head coach Ruben Amorim.
“After lurching from one disaster to another, Ratcliffe comes across as an incompetent clown turning the club into a circus,” said the 1958 group in a statement.
“Instead of best in class, we’re a laughing stock.
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“It has been an extraordinary and deeply troubling few days at Manchester United.
“On the pitch, we are watching mediocre performances from an average team drifting without identity, direction, or ambition. Off it, the chaos is even worse.”
United are continuing their search for an interim manager to take over from Amorim with former players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick and Ruud van Nistelrooy all under consideration.
Current caretaker Darren Fletcher, who was in charge at Burnley, will lead the team again when Brighton visit Old Trafford on Sunday in the third round of the FA Cup.
The second game of the three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka has been abandoned due to relentless rain on Friday at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.
The weather caused repeated interruptions, preventing the toss from taking place and leaving no possibility for the match to proceed. Both teams will now turn their focus to the final encounter of the series.
The green shirts currently lead the series 1-0 after winning the opener at the same venue on Wednesday. In that match, the visitors successfully chased a modest target of 129, winning by six wickets with 20 balls to spare.
The third and final match of the series is scheduled to take place at the same venue on Sunday.
Pakistan got off to a strong start as openers Farhan and Saim Ayub put together a 59-run partnership until Ayub was dismissed by Maheesh Theekshana on the penultimate delivery of the batting powerplay.
Ayub scored 24 off 18 balls, including three fours and a six.
Farhan then added 25 runs for the second wicket with captain Salman Ali Agha before both batters fell in successive overs, leaving Pakistan at 101/3.
Farhan finished as the top-scorer with a quickfire 51 off 36 deliveries, featuring four fours and two sixes, while Agha contributed 16 off 11 balls, with two fours.
Pakistan lost another wicket when Fakhar Zaman was stumped off Dhananjaya de Silva in the 14th over after scoring five off 10 balls.
With 23 runs still needed, Usman Khan and Shadab Khan steadied the chase, putting together a match-winning partnership and guiding Pakistan to victory in the 17th over. Shadab remained unbeaten on 18 off 12 balls, while Usman finished 7 not out.
For Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Theekshana and de Silva each claimed a wicket.
Earlier, Pakistan captain Agha’s decision to field first proved effective as his bowlers skittled the home side for 128 in 19.2 overs. Sri Lanka’s innings started poorly, losing both openers—Kamil Mishara (0) and Pathum Nissanka—inside the powerplay with just 15 runs on the board.
Kusal Mendis (14) and Dhananjaya de Silva (10) attempted to stabilise the innings, putting on 22 runs for the third wicket before falling in quick succession, leaving Sri Lanka at 38/4 in 6.5 overs.
Janith Liyanage then anchored the middle order, scoring 40 off 31 balls, including two fours and a six, before being dismissed by Abrar Ahmed in the 18th over.
Left-arm pacer Salman Mirza added further damage, dismissing captain Dasun Shanaka (12) and tailender Chameera (0) in the penultimate over.
Mohammad Wasim Jr wrapped up the innings by catching Maheesh Theekshana off his bowling on the second ball of the final over.
Abrar Ahmed and Salman Mirza led Pakistan’s bowling attack with three wickets each, while Shadab Khan and Mohammad Wasim Jr claimed two wickets apiece.
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