Smith wins Compton-Miller Medal

Australia captain Steve Smith capped off a remarkable Magellan Ashes campaign by winning the Compton-Miller Medal as the player of the series.

Smith’s 687 runs, average of 137.40 and three centuries – including a career-best 239 in Perth – made him the undisputed choice for the award that was introduced in the iconic 2005 Ashes series.

The 28-year-old started the series with a gritty 141 not out from 326 balls, his slowest Test century and one he later ranked as one of his three best in his prolific career.

He dusted off a poor Test in Adelaide – where he scored 40 and six – with his second career double-century in the final Ashes Test at the iconic WACA Ground as Australia wrapped up the series with two matches to spare.

In the Boxing Day Test he posted 76 and 102no, a rear-guard century that denied England a victory and secured a draw on a benign MCG pitch that was later rated as "poor" by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Finally, on his home turf in Sydney, with a history-making fourth Ashes century in a series seemingly on the cards, he was out to off-spinner Moeen Ali for 83.

During the series Smith achieved the second-highest Test batting rating according to the ICC, with only the immortal Sir Donald Bradman ahead of him.

The award is named after two greats of Ashes cricket, England batsman Denis Compton and dashing Australia allrounder Keith Miller.

"Denis Compton had the post-war status of a matinee idol – with a love of life and a love of living life to the full. It was an attitude he shared with Keith Miller and they became not only great rivals but also great friends," said former England and Wales chief executive David Collier.

Miller’s son Dennis presented Smith the medal as Australia’s completed a 4-0 series win at the SCG.

Compton-Miller Medal winners

2005 - Andrew Flintoff (England)
2006-07 - Ricky Ponting (Australia)
2009 - Andrew Strauss (England)
2010-11 - Alastair Cook (England)
2013 - Ian Bell (England)
2013-14 - Mitchell Johnson (Australia)
2015 - Joe Root (England)
2017-18 - Steve Smith (Australia)

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard

Second Test Australia won by 120 runs (Day-Night). Scorecard

Third Test Australia won by an innings and 41 runs. Scorecard

Fourth Test Match drawn. Scorecard

Fifth Test Australia win by an innings and 123 runs. Scorecard

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21