'We did some damage to our own cause' – Stokes on England's Ashes loss

England captain Ben Stokes said his side hurt their own chances as the Ashes series ended in a 4-1 defeat, pointing to repeated lapses after strong positions, including in the final Test in Sydney.

"Australia are an incredible team," Stokes said at the post-match presentation. "They've had outstanding performances with bat and ball. But we also have to be honest with ourselves and admit we did some damage to our own cause. We know we can play better than that, but full credit to Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, and the Australian team. They were exceptional across five Tests.

"Now isn't the time for proper reflection. We've got a long break before our next Test series, which gives us time to look at this series and ones before it. Hopefully, when we're back in June, we can put things right," he added.

Stokes admitted that the final Test played out to a familiar script. "We probably needed another 100 runs, and we allowed Australia to get about 100 too many in their first innings. If you look at that wicket on day five, 200 runs would have put us in a great position," he assessed.

Stokes picked out Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue as positives from the series. "Bethell waited for his opportunity and worked hard. For a 22-year-old to play that innings in the fifth Test of an Ashes series against a quality attack on a tough wicket was incredible. Josh Tongue keeps getting better every time he pulls on the shirt. We've got a lot of talent to work with going forward," he said.

The England captain was also grateful for the support his team had received throughout the tour. "Wherever we go, we're incredibly grateful for the support we receive. They'll be as disappointed as us with the result, but our gratitude and respect for them never changes. Even staying until the end means a lot. We're lucky to represent England and the Barmy Army," he concluded.

Australia's stand-in captain outlined the importance of home advantage. "Home conditions matter. We've grown up on these surfaces and understand how to play on them. That showed again in this series," he said.

"It was nice to finish on a high. Every Test matters with the World Test Championship. To get the result here was incredibly pleasing. It was a great wicket with a bit of everything and five hard-fought days of cricket. Different guys stood up at different times. Travis Head, Alex Carey, and Mitchell Starc were huge, but others played key roles too. That's what makes a good team," he added.

Instrumental to Australia's success was Mitchell Starc. The 35-year-old played all five Tests, bowling 153.1 overs and taking 31 wickets—the most in the series. "It feels like it's going okay. The body's holding together, and it's a great group to be part of. It's a lot of fun, especially with guys like Travis performing at the top and in the change room. I'm just glad to be playing a role.

"A bit of fatigue, to be honest. Scotty and I are on the older side, but we managed to get the job done. Between Scotty Boland, Michael Neser, and myself, we're not the youngest, but we played our roles.

"It's been a long series for the whole squad and staff. We didn't just use 11 players, and it's been incredibly enjoyable and rewarding to be part of," he said.

Starc also made valuable contributions with the bat, including fifties at Adelaide and Brisbane. "I'm glad I got some runs at the start because I certainly didn't at the end. There's no better incentive for a bowler than not having to bowl. Batting with Scotty Boland in Brisbane to get through to the night session with the pink ball was huge for us. I'm always happy to chip in, but I'm just as happy watching guys like Head score the bulk of the runs," he said.