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Australia rout England by an innings to win Ashes 4-0
SYDNEY, Jan 8, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Australia ruthlessly extinguished
England’s resistance to claim an innings victory in the fifth Ashes Test and
complete a 4-0 series rout on the final day in Sydney on Monday.
The beleaguered tourists, with skipper Joe Root weakened by a stomach bug
and unable to continue batting, dissolved after lunch, losing their last four
wickets for their fourth comprehensive defeat of the series.
“It has been a great couple of months. The cricket that we have played in
the last couple of months has been outstanding,” Australia skipper Steve
Smith said.
“We have just been able to get on top and win those key moments and not let
them back in the game which is crucial.”
Pat Cummins led the Australian offensive in Sydney with four wickets for 39
to finish man-of-the-match and the leading wicket taker in the series with
23.
“To get through the five Tests and end the series here at home. I couldn’t
asked for much more,” said an ecstatic Cummins.
England finished at 180 for nine off 88.1 overs as Australia won by an
innings and 123 runs.
It followed comprehensive losses on the troubled five-Test tour in
Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. The fourth Test was drawn in Melbourne.
Stricken Root did not come out to bat after lunch as he continued to
experience discomfort after his overnight stomach bug.
“He is asleep. He has a gastro bug and he has not been too well through the
night and the heat yesterday didn’t help. He is asleep in the dressing-room
trying to recover,” said vice-captain Jimmy Anderson, deputising for Root at
the post-match presentations.
“To be honest we have been outplayed in the key moments of each game,” he
added.
“We have been in the games to an extent but just not been able to
capitalise on any opportunities. Australia have played great in this series.”
MORE/MR/ 1110 hrs
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– Chances disappear –
Cummins struck twice in three balls after lunch, trapping Jonny Bairstow
leg before wicket for 38 and having Stuart Broad caught behind off a brutish
bouncer for four.
Mason Crane got another Cummins bouncer which he gloved to wicketkeeper Tim
Paine for two and Anderson was caught behind off Josh Hazlewood for two to
end the innings.
Root went to hospital overnight with England Cricket initially saying he
had “severe dehydration” after fielding and batting in intense heat on
Sunday.
But team officials corrected earlier statements and said Root was instead
weakened by the effects of a gastroenteritis bug.
He came out to bat on the dismissal of Moeen Ali for 13 an hour into the
final day’s play and reached his fifth half-century of the series, but was
unable to convert any of them to a century.
England’s remote chances of saving the Test disappeared when Root failed to
appear at the crease after lunch.
Spinner Nathan Lyon claimed Moeen’s wicket for the seventh time in the
series when he trapped him leg before in the morning session, which Moeen did
not review.
Lyon took three wickets for 54 off 35 overs. The Australians took a grip on
the final Test with a massive 303-run innings lead and then reduced the
battle-weary tourists to 93 for four at the close on the fourth day.
All five Tests went into the fifth day.
BSS/AFP/MR/1110 hrs