Agency :
Australia finally broke England’s dogged resistance on Sunday to retain the Ashes with a 185-run win on a captivating final day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford.
The home side, set a huge target of 383 for victory, were bowled out for 197 following some spirited lower-order batting, which took the game into the final hour.
Paceman Pat Cummins, the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, led the way for the tourists, taking 4-43 in 24 overs but Steve Smith won the man-of-the-match award for his innings of 211 and 82.
The match ended when Craig Overton, who faced 105 balls, was lbw to Josh Hazlewood for 21 after the tailender’s review failed to overturn umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s decision.
Victory ensured Australia kept hold of the Ashes at 2-1 up with one to play in the five-Test campaign.
If Australia avoid defeat at the Oval next week they will have won their first Test series in England for 18 years.
For Australia captain Tim Paine, appointed after star batsman Smith was stripped of the job following a ball-tampering scandal that also saw him given a 12-month ban, it was a particularly sweet success following his side’s shock one-wicket loss in the third Test at Headingley.
“I’m pretty pumped,” Paine told Sky Sports. “This team has been through a lot.
“The character we have showed shows a lot about the people in our side.”
Jos Buttler, England’s last recognised batsman, faced 111 balls either side of tea, making 34 when crease occupation was the order of the day.
But his patient vigil ended with a misjudgement that saw him bowled playing no shot to a Hazlewood ball that cut back to hit off stump.
Jofra Archer was soon lbw to off-spinner Nathan Lyon yet more than an hour later Overton and Somerset teammate Jack Leach, promoted to No 10 after his last-man heroics helped England win at Headingley, were still there.
But part-time leg-spinner Marnus Labuschagne succeeded where Australia’s frontline bowlers had failed by turned one out of the rough to have Leach caught at short leg by Matthew Wade, with England now 196-9.
The match was a triumph for Smith, the world’s leading Test batsman, who has now scored 671 runs in the series at an eye-watering average 134.2 including three hundreds, despite missing the third Test with concussion.
Australia finally broke England’s dogged resistance on Sunday to retain the Ashes with a 185-run win on a captivating final day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford.
The home side, set a huge target of 383 for victory, were bowled out for 197 following some spirited lower-order batting, which took the game into the final hour.
Paceman Pat Cummins, the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, led the way for the tourists, taking 4-43 in 24 overs but Steve Smith won the man-of-the-match award for his innings of 211 and 82.
The match ended when Craig Overton, who faced 105 balls, was lbw to Josh Hazlewood for 21 after the tailender’s review failed to overturn umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s decision.
Victory ensured Australia kept hold of the Ashes at 2-1 up with one to play in the five-Test campaign.
If Australia avoid defeat at the Oval next week they will have won their first Test series in England for 18 years.
For Australia captain Tim Paine, appointed after star batsman Smith was stripped of the job following a ball-tampering scandal that also saw him given a 12-month ban, it was a particularly sweet success following his side’s shock one-wicket loss in the third Test at Headingley.
“I’m pretty pumped,” Paine told Sky Sports. “This team has been through a lot.
“The character we have showed shows a lot about the people in our side.”
Jos Buttler, England’s last recognised batsman, faced 111 balls either side of tea, making 34 when crease occupation was the order of the day.
But his patient vigil ended with a misjudgement that saw him bowled playing no shot to a Hazlewood ball that cut back to hit off stump.
Jofra Archer was soon lbw to off-spinner Nathan Lyon yet more than an hour later Overton and Somerset teammate Jack Leach, promoted to No 10 after his last-man heroics helped England win at Headingley, were still there.
But part-time leg-spinner Marnus Labuschagne succeeded where Australia’s frontline bowlers had failed by turned one out of the rough to have Leach caught at short leg by Matthew Wade, with England now 196-9.
The match was a triumph for Smith, the world’s leading Test batsman, who has now scored 671 runs in the series at an eye-watering average 134.2 including three hundreds, despite missing the third Test with concussion.
