There stood Australia's players, desperately attempting to force a smile, as they received the trophy in front of a series-drawn sign after their largest white-ball defeat in 15 years.
"It was the weirdest feeling I've ever had, because I've never lost a game and then had to celebrate winning it," Litchfield said this week.
"It was quite foreign ... Both teams probably left a bit hollow after that series.
"Thinking we've retained it, but we haven't really truly deserved it. So this time around we're definitely keen to win it outright."
Making the feeling even more hollow for Australia was the fact they dominated the start of the series with Ashleigh Gardner taking 8-66 in the final innings of the Test, before the tourists won only one of the last five games.
"I don't think we go into any Tour wanting to draw, certainly the way we started in the Test match and winning the first T20, we were in the box seat," allrounder Gardner said.
"Then we just got outplayed in the white-ball series.
"Going forward we've certainly spoken a lot about what we can do better against our fiercest rivals and a team we've had a lot of great competition against."
It's why Australia enter this summer's Ashes having held the trophy for almost 10 years, but wanting to be much better than the side that last played England in 2023.
The series opens with three ODIs and three T20s all worth two points each, before a day-night Test match worth four points as the series finale at the MCG.
Players vowed to take a more fearless approach to their one-day cricket after the 2023 Ashes, going five-from-five this summer in big wins over India and New Zealand.
The team's T20 performances have been centre of a review after last October's semi-final World Cup exit, with tactical changes likely.
The emergence of allrounder Annabel Sutherland (2-1) has added balance to the team. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)
Allrounder Annabel Sutherland has moved up the order to assist team balance, with the 23-year-old emerging as the most exciting talent in the country.
"Looking back at England, we probably didn't execute well enough with the ball," Gardner said.
"We've certainly done some talking, got some players who are playing different roles with the ball.
"With the bat as well, it's making sure we're taking the game on and not worried about the consequences.
"Even more recently in the ODIs we've just played, we certainly did that."
England also arrive off the disappointment of a failed World Cup campaign, beaten by West Indies in their last group game to be bumped out of the tournament.
The tourists have the new-ball threat of tall quicks Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer, combined with the experience of Kate Cross and Nat Sciver-Brunt.
But after proclaiming their own "fearless" method during the 2023 Ashes, England players are adamant they don't need to change their approach following the World Cup exit.
"Obviously it didn't go to plan in one game in the World Cup," Bell said.
"But it hasn't changed how we play our cricket. If anything it's pushed forward that we need to be even more brave and take the game on even more.
"Since (coach Jon Lewis) came in ... we've wanted to take the game on, be entertaining, inspiring and play a style of cricket everyone wants to watch."
2025 ASHES SCHEDULE
ODIs
Jan 12: North Sydney Oval, Sydney (D)
Jan 14: Junction Oval, Melbourne (D)
Jan 17: Bellerive Oval, Hobart (D)
T20s
Jan 20: SCG, Sydney (N)
Jan 23: Manuka Oval, Canberra (N)
Jan 25: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (N)
TEST
Jan 30-Feb 2: MCG, Melbourne (D/N)
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