England Face Ashes Whitewash Against Australia

Sydney: Battered England are desperate to avoid the ignominy of a 5-0 series whitewash against Australia as they scramble to salvage some pride in the final Ashes Test in Sydney starting on Friday.

Alastair Cook's team -- coming off a dispiriting eight-wicket loss in the fourth Test in Melbourne -- face becoming only the third English side to lose an Ashes series 5-0 to their oldest rivals.

It has been a tour from hell for England with the loss of senior players Jonathan Trott (stress) and Graeme Swann (retirement), star players out of form and Kevin Pietersen admitting his team-mates are "mentally fragile" from playing in back-to-back Ashes series.

England have so far used 15 players and there are expected to be changes for Sydney, with Gary Ballance, Scott Borthwick and Steven Finn mentioned as possibilities. In contrast, Australia have been unchanged in all four Tests.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes the tourists will be unable to stop the Mitchell Johnson-led Aussie juggernaut in Sydney with the same team that succumbed in Melbourne in four days.

Cook, who dropped two catches on the final day in Melbourne, has called on his fellow senior players to pull out something special for England to avoid the anguish of an Ashes whitewash.

Changes are expected but it looks unlikely that the three tall pacemen brought to Australia apparently for the ride will get a run-out and the only bowling change could be Monty Panesar giving way to uncapped leg-spinner Borthwick.

That fight back from a team that was number one in the world as recently as August 2012 has long been anticipated.

The 3-0 home Ashes series triumph earlier this year and the two that preceded it in 2009 and 2010-11 are now distant memories and nothing in the performances in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne suggests England can turn things around in Sydney.

Australia, who have made a stunning turnaround since their 3-0 Ashes series defeat in England just months ago, have injury concerns over all-rounder Shane Watson (groin) and paceman Ryan Harris (knee).

Allrounder James Faulkner is in line to come into the team and fellow Tasmanian Alex Doolan was also called up to the squad as injury cover.

Teams from

Australia Chris Rogers, David Warner, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke (Capt.), Steven Smith, George Bailey, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Rryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Alex Doolan and James Faulkner

England Alastair Cook (Capt.), Michael Carberry, Joe Root, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Ben Stokes, Matt Prior (wk), Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Gary Ballance, Scott Borthwick, Steven Finn, Monty Panesar, Boyd Rankin, James Tredwell and Chris Tremlett

Ptich & condition
The SCG is traditionally a spin-friendly wicket and England have won two of the past three Ashes Tests played there. The forecast throughout the match ranges from 22C to 27C with the possibility of occasional light showers, but rain shouldn't play too much of a part.
 
Stats & trivia

• Johnson needs nine wickets to become the fourth Australian bowler to take 40 wickets or more in an Ashes series along with Terry Alderman (twice), Rodney Hogg and Shane Warne.
• Of those, only Warne took his 40 wickets in a five-Test series, which Johnson is seeking to emulate.
• If Australia win final match -- Michael Clarke become just the third Australia captain to achieve a 5-0 sweep over England in an Ashes series. As well as emulating the 1920-21 and 2005-06 Australia sweep 5-0.
• If Australia name an unchanged side it will be the first time they have ever used the same XI throughout a five-Test series

Match facts
January 3-7, 2014
Start time 1030 local (2330 GMT prev day)