England will limp home from Australia after a humbling 4-1 Ashes defeat but appear likely to stick with the regime of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, who have vowed to learn lessons from a painful tour.

England's white-ball captain Harry Brook issued an apology on Thursday saying he was "deeply sorry" for an altercation at a New Zealand nightclub ahead of the Ashes.

When Australia’s Travis Head gets going, regardless of the format, it is almost impossible to take the spotlight away from him -- and day three of the Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday was no different.

Australia skipper Steve Smith said Saturday he had no end date to call time on his career, while keeping England guessing on how his team will line up for the fifth and final Ashes Test.

Ben Stokes has urged England chiefs to keep faith with "Bazball" architect Brendon McCullum despite a stinging Ashes defeat in Australia.

Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg said Saturday that short Tests were bad for business as some of the biggest names in the game attacked the state of the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch.

Steve Smith returns to action in the Boxing Day test against England as Australia opted to include four fast bowlers in their 12-man squad, with spinner Todd Murphy, who was brought into the fold to replace Nathan Lyon, not finding a spot.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon were Tuesday ruled out of the fourth Ashes Test against England with the veteran spinner facing surgery and an extended period on the sidelines.

England coach Brendon McCullum wants to stay in his job despite a chastening Ashes series defeat but admits his future is out of his hands.

Travis Head slammed 170 and Alex Carey hit 72 Saturday as Australia were all out for 249 to set England a record 435 to win and keep the Ashes alive.

Batting coach Marcus Trescothick said England would keep "fighting and scrapping" as the Ashes slipped from their grip Thursday, while paying tribute to a dehydrated Ben Stokes.

The operator of the Snicko technology being used in the Ashes has admitted an error led to a reprieve for Australia's Alex Carey on the first day of the third Test in Adelaide on Wednesday.

An emotional Alex Carey called his 106 on home soil in front of family and friends in the third Ashes Test a "special moment" Wednesday, with the century coming just months after his father died.

Captain Ben Stokes has demanded England "show a bit of dog" in the must-win third Ashes Test against Australia on Wednesday after "raw" conversations following heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane.

Fit-again opener Usman Khawaja was overlooked for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide on Wednesday as Australia skipper Pat Cummins and veteran Nathan Lyon were named to make their return.

England's fightback to draw the last Ashes series 2-2 is a useful reminder to Australia that they cannot afford to take their foot off the gas with a 2-0 lead this time around, Cameron Green said on Sunday. Australia go into the third Test, which starts in Adelaide on Wednesday, looking firmly in control of the five-match series after victories by eight wickets in Perth and the day-nighter in Brisbane.

England cricket coach Brendon McCullum responded to criticism his side were under-prepared for the Ashes by claiming they "trained too much" prior to a dismal eight-wicket defeat on Sunday to fall 2-0 down to Australia.

Pumped-up Australia captain Steve Smith and England fast bowler Jofra Archer had a fiery verbal clash near the climax of the second Ashes Test on Sunday at the Gabba.

Joe Root said England were "well and truly" still in the day-night second Ashes Test despite Australia seizing a 44-run lead on day two Friday in Brisbane.

Joe Root has waited a long time to tick off one particular item on his bucket list -- a Test century in Australia. More than a decade, in fact. But on Thursday at the Gabba, under lights in the second Ashes Test – a pink-ball one, the world’s top-ranked Test batter finally ended a 15-Test drought that had stretched all the way back to 2013.