It was a case of too little, too late for England's beleaguered batters, who pieced together their best day of the Ashes series with the urn already well out of reach.
Fiery No.5 Harry Brook and heart-and-soul Joe Root combined for an unbeaten 154-run stand before tea on day one of the series finale at the SCG - the tourists' most prolific partnership of a tough series.
England pieced together a 100-run stand only twice as they fell behind 3-1 in the series, with one of those partnerships featuring No.10 Jofra Archer.
But when rain forced the covers on just before Sunday's tea break, England were 3-211, making the most of their decision to bat.
Widely regarded as England's most promising batter of the future, Brook (78no off 92 balls) flaunted his swashbuckling fare, with a six off Cameron Green a particular highlight.
But the 26-year-old was pleased with his ability to balance carnage and control.
"I've just got to be a little bit more patient and take my ones here and there," he said.
"It's just about staying in my own bubble really and not getting too far ahead."
Root (72no off 103 balls), meanwhile, targeted the area around third man with aplomb and is flirting with a second century in Australia, having brought up a long-awaited first at the Gabba.
The pair complemented each other brilliantly as they batted stably and chancelessly through the second session.
They each brought up their half-century in Beau Webster's first over of the day. Fittingly, steady hand Root reached 50 by tapping a single behind the stumps, and Brook blasted a four over the off-side.
But the partnership - already 37 runs better than England's previous best stand for the series - surely would have left England wondering what might have been.
Irresponsible batting undid England while the series was on the line, with the tourists' Bazball philosophy on trial as only Root made a score over 100 in the first three Tests.
Former Australia Test legspinner Kerry O'Keeffe, now a Fox Sports expert, told reporters England could have made a series to remember had they found their groove earlier.
"Amazing that if they'd done this earlier in the series, it could have a completely different shape," he said.
"But they're doing it when it's been resolved. Good for Australia of course, but it just shows you what might've been."
