 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Australia captured England's four remaining wickets before lunch to close out a 218-run victory in the second Ashes Test on Monday.
The crushing win gave Australia a 2-0 lead in the five-Test series, a stunning turnaround from the northern Ashes series that England won 3-0 earlier this year.
Resuming on 247-6 after a 10-minute rain delay, Stuart Broad was caught for 29, hooking paceman Peter Siddle with the fifth ball of the day, and seamer Ryan Harris struck with his second ball of the morning to have Graeme Swann caught behind for six.
Wicketkeeper Matt Prior was caught in the deep by Harris for 69 hooking Siddle, and Harris returned to seal the match by having Monty Panesar caught at short extra cover by Chris Rogers for a duck.
In contrast to the defiance shown on the fourth day, the last four wickets fell within an hour and the crushing defeat means England will head to Perth in major trouble for the third Test, which starts on Friday.
Having succumbed to Mitchell Johnson's pace bowling in the first two Tests, Perth's WACA is the seamer's favourite hunting ground and England must somehow find a way to counter his influence if they are to avoid losing the series.
Image: Ryan Harris of Australia is congratulated by team mates after taking the wicket of Graeme Swann
Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images