Cricket: Cameron Green tears England's top-order apart as Australia claims 4-0 series victory

England's Joe Root, left, is bowled by Australia's Scott Boland. Photo / AP

England's cricketers have kindly given us one final batting collapse to enjoy before they return home, with Australia securing a comprehensive 4-0 Ashes series triumph at Blundstone Arena on Sunday evening.

Joe Root's men crumbled in an abysmal collapse of 9/42 under artificial lights, suffering a 146-run defeat in Hobart.

Earlier on day three, English speedster Mark Wood claimed career-best figures of 6/37 to help bowl out Australia for 155.

England was set an unlikely target of 271 for victory, and the visitors got off to a superb start with openers Rory Burns and Zak Crawley combining for a 68-run partnership.

But young gun Cameron Green ripped through England top-order on either side of the tea break, removing both openers and No. 3 batter Dawid Malan in quick succession.

From there it was all one-way traffic in the Tasmanian capital, with England's middle order failing to offer any sort of resistance to the Aussie quicks.

Victorian cult hero Scott Boland, captain Pat Cummins and Green each snared three scalps as England was rolled for 124.

Off-spinner Nathan was not required in Hobart, not bowling a single delivery in a Test match for the first time in his career.

Sydney's rain was the only thing that had prevented Australia from claiming the fourth 5-0 whitewash in Ashes history.

"This has been embarrassing," former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

"They've just thrown the towel in.

"There's a real problem in English cricket."

England's highest score of the series was 297 at the Gabba — the last time England failed to pass 300 in an Ashes series was 1958/59.

Australian great Ricky Ponting told Channel 7: "Tough batting conditions it has to be said, but to fall over like that, that probably just sums up the entire summer for this England Test cricket team.

"Not enough quality, not enough fight and they haven't been able to grasp the big moments in this series like the Australians have. Fitting way for it to end as well, for the series to end. Captain Cummins with the last wicket, to walk away with a four nil series win to Australia."

Travis Head was named Player of the Match and Player of the Series — the South Australian was the highest run-scorer of the five-Test series with 357 runs at 59.50 and two centuries.

Didn’t end 5-0 but that was worse than 06/07 and 13/14. Those tours had some uplifting moments. This was a disaster from first to last ball. #Ashes

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) January 16, 2022

England captain Joe Root said after the defeat: "It's been a really tough tour for us, we've played good cricket in parts but we've just not managed to string a whole game together. It's something we have to learn from as a group.

"In all areas in general I do think we've been outplayed. Credit to Australia for that, they deserve to win the series."

Cummins declared: "It's pretty crazy, even as a professional cricketer these are the series you have in your diary a couple of years out ... It's just huge. Really pumped.

"It feels like we're building towards something big."

England legend Ian Botham told Channel 7: "It's been embarrassing, if I am honest, gutless.

"I thought the way that they performed today will have disappointed me and disappointed everyone back home. They should be disappointed in that dressing room as well, with the performance.

"The one thing we have to do now is take our heads out of the sand and we need to pull together and prioritise red ball cricket."