Australia’s blazing Ashes whitewash is complete, after Ryan Harris and Mitchell Johnson finished England off inside three days of the fifth Test at the SCG.

England collapsed in humiliating circumstances to hand Australia a comprehensive 281-run victory and the third 5-0 clean-sweep in Ashes history.

Johnson was named man-of-the-series, pipping vice-captain Brad Haddin.

After England won 3-0 to secure the urn for a third consecutive series in the UK last year, Australia have answered four months later with the most emphatic turnaround imaginable.

Set an improbable target of 448 to win in Sydney after another Chris Rogers century, England were all out for 166 late on Sunday.

Johnson (3-40) took two wickets in the over after tea, to bring his personal tally to 37 scalps for the tour and pave the way for pace ally Harris (5-25) to complete a five-wicket haul.

With more than two days left in the match, England surrendered meekly, with their three best batsmen Alastair Cook (7), Ian Bell (16) and Kevin Pietersen (6) rolling over to leave the tourists precariously placed at 3-87 at tea.

Any hope of England showing fight and taking the game into a fourth day were dashed when they lost 4-8 in 17 balls at the hands of Johnson and Nathan Lyon after tea.

Australia won 5-0 in 1920-21 and 2006-07, but the charge led by Michael Clarke’s men was arguably the most ruthless of all.

It’s the first time Australia have taken all 100 wickets in a five-match Ashes series, and they maintained an unchanged XI from start to finish, for the first time ever in five matches, to do it.

Johnson and wicketkeeper Haddin have been the runaway stars for Australia.

The left-arm fast bowler went from enigma to unstoppable force by taking the most wickets by an Australian fast bowler in a five-match Ashes series, placing him ninth on the all-time list.

Haddin was another who not so long ago thought he’d played his last Test – only to defy his 36 years and save Australia on countless occasions.

The wicketkeeper finished second on the run-scoring list, scored a half century in every first innings of the series and became the fourth Australian gloveman to score 3000 Test runs, joining Ian Healy, Rod Marsh and Adam Gilchrist.

Rogers, also 36, wound back the clock with his third Test century and second in consecutive matches.

Born in Sydney 36 years ago, Rogers continued his remarkable career renaissance by smashing his fastest on in 143 balls as Australia were all out for 276 soon after lunch.