Peter English

Ricky Ponting led the side superbly and sits atop the marking sheet ahead of a stream of strong performers

Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer discuss their careers and futures

Australia's departing players have no worries about the side dropping from the top of the world rankings after spending the past decade keeping them there

Three relieved and tired men briefly came down from their retirement highs to speak for the final time as players in the same cream-coloured basement where Steve Waugh bowed out three years ago

Twenty-two years ago when the last great player exodus occurred Australia began five years of despair. Australia now enter another period of uncertainty, but the prospects of the trough being as deep as last time are remote

On his final morning as a Test bowler Glenn McGrath showed his career in a delivery. His staple on his record-breaking march was a ball that asked batsmen two severe questions. Can I go back or forward? Should I play at it or leave it?

Shane Warne probably has only one more day of Test cricket but when he arrives at the SCG on Friday he won't be sad. "Not at all, I'll be happy," he said. And he hopes his mood improves with Australia's second Ashes cleansweep in the history of the rivalr

In the field England were a disinterested disaster and during the second innings they struggled to wipe away Australia's fortunate advantage while losing five wickets by stumps

As Justin Langer ripped his gloves off as he approached the boundary it looked like a normal end to one of his Test innings. But his final Test is not going the way he planned

Sir Richard Branson's company Virgin Atlantic is under contract to fly the urn back to England when the series ends, but in a comical performance, in which he was flanked by Ian Botham and Allan Border, he requested it stay in Australia

Australia have discussed Steve Waugh's series-long goodbye in 2004 as a way of helping the team cope with the final match of three of their longest-serving players

The first of five days of Australian celebrations were interrupted by a solid England batting performance as they tried to upstage the hosts

Justin Langer is probably Australia's toughest opening batsman. It's unlikely any top-level player has been struck in the head as often as Langer

Two eras will end at the SCG this week and the speed that Australia and England deal with the new beginnings will determine how they recover from the losses

Michael Hussey is still in awe of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath and will be a close admirer during the pair's final Test in Sydney

Stuart Clark's stunning returns in the Ashes series have not surprised Michael Hussey, who has been regularly troubled by his team-mate's accuracy and bounce

For three years the Melbourne Cricket Club's library collection was packed up in boxes waiting for its new home on the third level of the members' area

Kevin Pietersen was only convinced of a move to No. 4 when he realised England's brittle tail was limiting his batting opportunities

If it is not bad enough for England that they are staring at an Ashes whitewash, they have now suffered the ridicule of being asked to bring their best game to Sydney by Australia's coach

Ricky Ponting's "relentless" Australia will push for the second 5-0 result in Ashes history and a 12th win in a row next week in Sydney.