Australia win third Test to reclaim Ashes

Australia's Nathan Lyon celebrates after dismissing England's Moeen Ali during the fifth day of the third Ashes cricket test match. Photo: Reuters
Australia's Nathan Lyon celebrates after dismissing England's Moeen Ali during the fifth day of the third Ashes cricket test match. Photo: Reuters

Australia reclaimed the Ashes on a misbehaving WACA wicket, crushing England by an innings and 41 runs on day five of the third Test.

Steve Smith's men required a single session on Monday to roll the tourists for 218. England reluctantly resumed on 4-132, clinging to hope that wet weather could keep the five-Test series alive.

Overnight rain seeped through the covers and soaked an area of the pitch, threatening to ruin the hosts' hopes of taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.

The start of Monday's play was delayed by three hours, during which ground staff worked on the wet spot with blower vacuums while captains Smith and Joe Root were in near-constant dialogue with umpires.

Root appeared unhappy to hear play would start at 1pm local time.

The skipper's sense of unease was amplified by Josh Hazlewood's first delivery of the day, a shooter that straightened and clean bowled Jonny Bairstow.

Hazlewood finished the innings with figures of 5-48. Australia turned the screws while deliveries ripped and roared off the deck - inconsistently and violently.

Smith's sense of urgency grew as Moeen Ali soaked up 56 balls at the crease but Nathan Lyon created the day's second breakthrough, trapping the allrounder lbw to dismiss him for the fifth time this series.

Mitchell Starc was down on pace, hampered by a bruised heel that could potentially force him to miss the Boxing Day Test.

Hazlewood, who accounted for both openers in his first spell on Sunday, stepped up as the side's spearhead.

Hazlewood removed the final recognised batsman Dawid Malan for 54. Malan offered stubborn resistance before he was caught behind down the leg side.

As has been the case throughout the series, Australia cleaned up the opposition's tail with chin music.

Craig Overton was out edging to Hazlewood. Stuart Broad gloved a Pat Cummins bouncer and was caught behind, with the next delivery smacking the side of Jimmy Anderson's helmet.

Anderson recovered from the blow and resumed his innings but it merely delayed the inevitable. Cummins reclaimed the urn later in the spell when Chris Woakes guided a short ball straight to Tim Paine.

It capped a remarkable turnaround given England were 4-368 in their first innings at the WACA after winning the toss. Smith and Mitch Marsh's 301-run stand turned the Test on its head.

The series continues on Boxing Day at the MCG.

Smith last week outlined his desire to complete a 5-0 thumping, having banked a 10-wicket win in Brisbane the 120-run victory at Adelaide Oval.

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