Jan. 6: Relentless England were just three wickets away from their first Down Under series victory in 24 years as Australia folded under pressure in the final Sydney Ashes Test on Thursday.
Needing either a win or a draw to claim the series, England posted their highest-ever score in Australia of 644 and then ripped through Australia to take seven wickets and have a win at the mercy on Friday’s final day.
England, who lead the series 2-1, have already retained the Ashes at last week’s fourth Melbourne Test and are now looking to crown it with a well-deserved series triumph.
At the close, Australia had been reduced to 213 for seven with Steven Smith on 24 and Peter Siddle on 17 and still 151 runs in arrears.
England outplayed the hosts in Adelaide and Melbourne while Australia won the third Test in Perth. The first Test was drawn.
The pace trio of James Anderson, Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett bowled England to the verge of victory with irresistible displays of swing bowling. Anderson, getting tantalising late reverse swing, snared the wickets of debutant Usman Khawaja and acting captain Michael Clarke to take his series haul to 23.
Khawaja, who made a promising debut in the first innings, played away from his body and deflected a catch to Matt Prior off Anderson for 21. Clarke looked to have played himself in when he was bamboozled by Anderson’s late movement off the pitch and gave Prior another catch.
It culminated in a dismal batting series for Clarke with just 193 runs at 21.44.
Bresnan chipped with the crucial wicket of Australia’s leading series scorer Mike Hussey, caught head-high by Kevin Pietersen for 12. Hosts then suffered a tumble of wickets with Brad Haddin (30) and Mitchell Johnson (0) falling on consecutive Tremlett deliveries only for Siddle to see off the hat-trick attempt.
SCOREBOARD
Australia I innings 280
England I innings (o/n 488 for 7):
M. Prior c Haddin b Hilfenhaus 118, T. Bresnan c Clarke b Johnson 35, G. Swann (not out) 36, C. Tremlett c Haddin b Hilfenhaus 12.
Extras (b-3, lb-11, w-5, nb-4) 23.
Total (all out, 177.5 overs) 644
FoW: 1-98, 2-99, 3-165, 4-181, 5-226, 6-380, 7-487, 8-589, 9-609.
Bowling: Hilfenhaus 38.5-7-121-3, Johnson 36-5-168-4, Siddle 31-5-111-1, Watson 20-7-49-1, Beer 38-3-112-1, Smith 13-0-67-0, Hussey 1-0-2-0.
Australia II innings:
S. Watson (run out) 38, P. Hughes c Prior b Bresnan 13, U. Khawaja c Prior b Anderson 21, M. Clarke c Prior b Anderson 41, M. Hussey c Pietersen b Bresnan 12, B. Haddin c Prior b Tremlett 30, S. Smith (batting) 24, M. Johnson b Tremlett 0, P. Siddle (batting) 17. Extras (b-11, lb-4, w-1, nb-1) 17.
Total (7 wkts, 67 overs) 213
FoW: 1-46, 2-52, 3-117, 4-124, 5-161, 6-171, 7-171
Bowling: Anderson 13-4-50-2, Tremlett 15-4-53-2, Swann 25-7-63-0, Bresnan 14-6-32-2.