Australia will be looking to avoid the ignominy of losing an Ashes series in Australia for the first time in 25 years, when they take on England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday, January 3, 2011. England are 2-1 up going into the fifth and final Test and have already retained the Ashes, having come into the series as holders of the fabled urn.
The burden of avoiding defeat and leveling the series has fallen on the shoulders of Michael Clarke, who will lead the Australians in Sydney. Ricky Ponting has been rested due to the finger injury that he sustained during the third Test. He will be missed, despite his poor run in the series.
Australia have pretty much gone with the same side and have only recalled Doug Bollinger to replace the injured Ryan Harris. Michael Beer is the lone specialist spinner in the squad, but is not likely to get a game owing to the presence of Steve Smith. The press and the public are flummoxed why Nathan Hauritz, who has scored two hundreds in his last three Sheffield Shield games for New South Wales, hasn’t been picked for a game in Sydney, where spin is a vital weapon in the armory. 
England would be ecstatic having retained the Ashes but would want to win the series. All the English players have called for focus from the team, to finish the series on a high. England are likely to go with an unchanged squad.
Tim Bresnan was excellent in Melbourne and was pick of the bowlers in the second innings. Chris Tremlett has seamlessly replaced Stuart Broad and has been among the wickets in the last two games. However, it will be Graeme Swann who will be the main weapon for England at the SCG.
He hasn’t made a big difference so far, though he has picked up 13 wickets, but will be a threat in this game. Paul Collingwood could get one last chance to get back among the runs. He has been England’s weak link in the batting but England would not want to break a winning team.
The game should be an interesting win and a loss could have many repercussions in the Australian side.