Australia have regained the urn with a comfortable 4-0 win during the five-match Test Ashes series in Australia.

Joe Root was captaining England for the first time overseas but standout performances from Australia counterpart Steven Smith and bowlers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins earned the hosts a deserved victory.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at the best bits of social media and pictures after the two-month series comes to an end.

First Test – Brisbane

Root wins the first toss of the Ashes series, while Cameron Bancroft receives his debut Test cap for Australia.

Former England captain Alastair Cook is the first dismissal of the Ashes series – falling to Mitchell Starc.

Alastair Cook
Alastair Cook is the first wicket to fall in the Ashes series (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Fellow opener Mark Stoneman is comprehensively bowled by Cummins.

Mark Stoneman
Mark Stoneman is being bowled by Pat Cummins during the first Test in Brisbane (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Dawid Malan made his maiden Test half-century during his first innings in Australia as England are all out for 302, before Jake Ball enjoys the wicket of David Warner.

Dawid Malan
Dawid Malan celebrates his first Test half-century for England (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Smith has impressive statistics at Brisbane and he added to that with an unbeaten 141 to help the hosts reach 328, to the delight of Australia footballer Tim Cahill.

Steve Smith
Steve Smith acknowledges the crowd after scoring 141 not out (Jason O’Brien/PA)

In England’s reply, Root gets hit on the helmet by a thumping bouncer from Starc.

Fans also enjoyed a different way to watch the cricket at the Gabba.

The pool at the Gabba
Fans enjoy the pool at the Gabba (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Moeen Ali gets stumped for 40 in a controversial decision before England are all out for 195 – setting a victory target of 170.

Warner and debutant Cameron Bancroft both hit half-centuries as Australia eases to victory…

… on the third anniversary of the death of former batsman Phillip Hughes.

3 years have passed and I'm still missing you bro #408

A post shared by Steve Smith (@steve_smith49) on

Second Test – Adelaide

England looked to level the series in the first ever day/night Ashes Test, with Craig Overton making his debut in the five-day format.

The 23-year-old claims Smith as his maiden Test wicket.

Craig Overton
Craig Overton celebrates his maiden Test wicket (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Tim Paine notches his third Test half-century – seven years after his second. Shaun Marsh hits an unbeaten 126 when Australia declare for 442 for eight.

Nathan Lyon and Starc take stunning catches to limit England’s reply to 227.

James Anderson takes his first five-for in Australia as England bowl the hosts out for 130, which excites former batsman Kevin Pietersen.

James Anderson
James Anderson carries the ball of the pitch after taking five wickets in the second innings (Jason O’Brien/PA)

England need to chase a national-record chase of 353 for victory but despite a resilient batting display, Starc’s five-for guides Australia to a 120-run win.

Jonny Bairstow
Australian players celebrate the final wicket of Jonny Bairstow to go 2-0 up in the series (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Third Test – Perth

England need to avoid defeat to prevent Australia from regaining the Ashes and Dawid Malan (140) and Jonny Bairstow (119) get the tourists off to a strong start.

Dawid Malan
Dawid Malan hit his maiden Test century – the first for England in the series (Jason O’Brien/PA)

England are all out for 403 but Smith hits a career-best 239 alongside Mitchell Marsh (181), who registers his first Test century.

Australia declare on 662 for nine to take control, then Starc produces an absolute jaffa to dismiss James Vince.

Rain gives England hope but, after ground staff use unusual techniques to dry the pitch, Josh Hazelwood takes five wickets as the tourists collapse to 218 all out – handing Australia an innings victory and the Ashes.

Australia win the Ashes
Australia celebrate the final wicket of Chris Woakes to win the ashes (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Australian players celebrate winning the urn.

Former Australia players and pundits revel in the success…

… while former England players congratulate the victors.

Fourth Test – Melbourne

The tourists start another debutant in Tom Curran as they look to restore some pride after the series defeat, starting with the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

The seamer thought he took his first Test wicket in Warner but bowls a no ball – who hits his first Ashes century of the series with the very next delivery as he reaches 6,000 career Test runs.

David Warner
David Warner celebrates his first century of the Ashes series (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Smith passes the 500-run mark for the series but becomes Curran’s maiden Test victim.

Tom Curran
Tom Curran celebrates his first Test wicket (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Australia were bowled out for 327 but in England’s reply, Lyon takes another great one-handed catch.

However, Cook – who had scored a combined total of 85 runs in the series before the fourth Test – carries the bat with an unbeaten 244 as England register 491 in their first innings.

Alastair Cook
Alastair Cook is congratulated by Josh Hazelwood after carrying the bat through the first innings (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Rain and another Smith century – his third of the series – denied England victory as Australia grind out a draw.

Jonny Bairstow and Steve Smith
Jonny Bairstow shakes hands with Steve Smith after the fourth Test is declared a draw (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Fifth Test – Sydney

Another Test, another England debut as leg-spinner Mason Crane earns his first cap, while wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow receives his 50th from Cook.

Malan (62) notches another half-century while Root records his fourth 50 of the series but like his previous three, he fails to convert them to centuries.

Joe Root
Joe Root is dismissed for 83 (Jason O’Brien/PA)

England reach 346 despite some poor fielding by the hosts, but run-machine Smith comes in to register 6,000 Test runs.

Mason Crane thinks he claims Steve Smith as his first Test dismissal – but guess what? The spinner bowls a no-ball!

Crane joins an unwanted England group but then gets Usman Khawaja stumped for 171.

Mason Crane
Mason Crane celebrates his maiden wicket in Test cricket for England (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Shaun Marsh and younger brother Mitchell both hit hundreds but are also both dismissed is empathic fashion before Smith declares on 649 for nine, a lead of 303 runs.

Mitchell Marsh
Mitchell Marsh is bowled by Tom Curran (Rick Rycroft/AP/PA)
Shaun Marsh
Shaun Marsh is run out by Mark Stoneman (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Cook reaches 12,000 career Test runs while captain Root takes a blow on the hand and a trip to hospital for severe dehydration from the scorching Sydney heat as England battle to stay in the final Ashes match.

Joe Root
Joe Root was hit on the hand by Mitchell Starc (Jason O’Brien/PA)
Joe Root
Joe Root brings up his fifty during day five of the final Ashes Test (Jason O’Brien/PA)

Root fails to make it out of the dressing room after the lunch interval and Australia make light work of the England tail to seal an innings and 123 run win.