The controversial Ashes celebration from 2018 will not make another appearance at the SCG for the final Test between Australia and England next month.
A giant four-fingered salute displayed during the Ashes presentation ceremony at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2018 drew harsh backlash from viewers, who labelled it ‘tasteless’ and ‘gross’.
Channel Nine commentator Mark Taylor hosted the ceremony after Australia’s innings-and-123-run win in the fifth Test sealed a 4-0 Ashes series victory, with the oversized hand clearly visible on the outfield behind him.
Australia has smashed England once again in the 2025/26 series, crushing their old rivals inside just 11 days of cricket to take an unassailable lead.
By the time the Sydney Test has concluded, it is possible Australia could have won the series 5-0.
But any thoughts of reviving the hands gesture in the celebration at the SCG have reportedly been scrapped by Cricket Australia.
Travis Head is pictured going berserk after winning The Ashes in the third Test in Adelaide. There will be more celebrations at the end of the fifth Test in Sydney
Players partied well into the night with special shirts poking fun at England’s Bazball approach to cricket (pictured) – but a more pointed shot at the Three Lions won’t happen at the SCG
While that will come as good news to some, others questioned why the celebration should be axed and speculated that it could be shelved to spare England stars’ feelings.
‘Wait what, a hand painted with Australia flag holding up 4 fingers representing 4-0 nil win regaining the Ashes. Please explain how it went too far?’ one fan asked.
Others pointed to the heated aftermath of the controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s in the 2023 Ashes series.
Australian players, including Usman Khawaja and David Warner, faced aggressive and abusive behaviour from some MCC members as they walked through the Long Room.
‘But let me guess, the carrying on by the members in The Long Room after Jonny went for walk was perfectly fine to you,’ an Aussie supporter posted.
‘Oh no, another crime of the century,’ another added.
It comes after English commentators and Australian media personalities combined to lash the hands celebration back in 2018.
‘Really? How gross. I’m all for beating England at any known sport, but this is insulting triumphalism. Anyone agree?’ veteran journalist Mike Carlton posted at the time.
Pictured: The controversial hands celebration from 2018 that rubbed salt into England’s wounds after Australia’s 4-0 victory
England’s vice-captain James Anderson walks past the giant cutout that had four fingers in the air to represent the 4-0 series win
ESPNCricinfo journalist Mel Farrel tweeted that it was: ‘Not exactly the classiest backdrop for the trophy presentation’.
‘I hope they are hurting as much as I am, watching Australia celebrate,’ England vice-captain James Anderson said.
A Cricket Australia spokesman tried to play down the celebrations at the time, saying it could easily have been England using the hands had they won the series.
‘The hand signified the results of the series which was 4-0 to Australia,’ he said.
‘Had the result been different, the presentation dressings would have reflected that.’
Meanwhile England will have to regroup quickly to bounce back at the Boxing Day Test commencing at the MCG this week.
The team and coach Brendon McCullum have come under extreme fire back in England, with the former New Zealand star admitting his job was not safe.
When asked if he would remain in the post for the start of the English summer, he replied: ‘I don’t know. It’s not really up to me, is it?
‘I’ll just keep trying to do the job, try to learn the lessons that we haven’t quite got right here and try to make some adjustments. Those questions are for someone else, not for me.
‘Sometimes you don’t win, and then those decisions are up to other people.
‘We’re not the finished article, but I think we’ve definitely improved as a cricket team. We’ve had an identity about us.’
