England Wrap Up 3-1 Ashes Series Victory In Sydney

England Wrap Up 3-1 Ashes Series Victory In Sydney

Chris Tremlett took the final wicket as England wrapped up series victory in style

©REUTERS/Tim Wimborne (AUSTRALIA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

England 644 (Cook 189, Prior 118, Bell 115)
Australia 280 & 281 by an innings & 83 runs
Fifth Ashes Test, Sydney
Scorecard

England bowled Australia out for 281 in their second innings on the final day of the fifth and final Ashes Test to seal a first series win in Australia for 24 years.

England took the three wickets they required during the morning session to wrap up an innings-and-83 run victory at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

England's victory charge was first held up by rain, which forced a delay early on the final day, and then by the half-century stand between Steve Smith (54 not out) and Peter Siddle (43) for the eighth wicket.

The pair frustrated England with sensible batting, putting on 86 with Siddle reaching a new career-best score before he lofted Graeme Swann into the hands of James Anderson in the deep with the new ball just moments from being taken by England.

Anderson wasted little time in using that new ball to good effect when he produced a quick delivery that spat at Ben Hilfenhaus, who could only edge the ball to wicket-keeper Matthew Prior having made seven in 11 balls.

Smith remained defiant to the end, guiding Anderson to the third man boundary to reach a second Test half-century with number 11 batsman Michael Beer gamely holding up the other end.

Chris Tremlett then finished off the job by bowling Beer for two to spark celebrations on and off the pitch and inflict a third innings defeat of the series for Australia - the last time any team suffered such a fate was in 2007, when Bangladesh were thrashed by Sri Lanka.

Anderson finished with figures of three for 61 and 24 wickets in the series while Tremlett returned three for 79 having played his part having replaced the injrued Stuart Broad earlier in the series.

The rain-affected opening day saw Australia lose three wickets in quick succession as they closed on 134 for four after winning the toss and choosing to bat first. The highlight of the opening day was a fluent innings of 37 by debutant Usman Khawaja - in the side as a replacement for the injured Ricky Ponting.

Day two saw England dismiss Australia for 280 and then start their reply, Andrew Strauss making 60 in 58 balls as they closed on 167 for three.

Alastair Cook then went on to reach his third century of the series in making 189 on day three, which was followed up by Ian Bell's 115 on a day that was also full of controversy, with Hughes appearing to claim a catch that bounced and Bell surviving a suspected edge behind that technology failed to pick up.

England then took complete control on the fourth day as Matthew Prior scored a century, England posted 644 and then reduced Australia to 213 for seven.

England led the series 2-1 following innings victories in Adelaide and Melbourne. Australia won by 267 runs in Perth after the opening Test in Brisbane was drawn.

© Cricket World 2011

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