Ashes 2017/18: Australia Thump England 4-0 to Clinch the Urn

England was reduced to 180 for nine in the second dig, as Australia won the Sydney Test by an innings and 143 runs to complete the Ashes  4-0.

Joe Root, who was suffering from viral gastroenteritis, did not come out of the rooms to resume the innings on day five as he had already suspended twice, as England’s hopes of salvaging a draw were officially over.

England lost three wickets for 12 runs to Australia pace bowler Pat Cummins in his absence, who ended with four in the innings and match figures of 8-119.  The final result was confirmed when Josh Hazlewood bounced James Anderson and secured a caught-behind to Tim Paine.

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Australia celebrated as a team, which was much of a joint effort, especially from the bowling department. The chart was topped by four Australians in close order: Pat Cummins with 23, Mitchell Starc with 22, and Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon each with 21.

The day started with Australia needing six wickets to win with England skipper Joe Root and Johnny Bairstow as the overnight batsmen. Root did not resume his innings at the start of play, walking to the crease only after Moeen Ali was lbw for 13, out to Nathan Lyon for the seventh time in the series.

Root fought hard and registered his fifth Ashes fifty, but again failed to emerge after the lunch break due to his illness. Bairstow was plumb in front to Cummins for 38, and two balls later Cummins bounce out Stuart Broad, who fended a catch that got skied to the wicketkeeper, Tim Paine.

Mason Crane also got out to a short ball from Cummins, caught behind off his glove, curiously asking for a review despite clear evidence the ball had flicked a significant portion of his thumb on the way through to the wicketkeeper. Anderson’s wicket was all Australia needed to secure the result. It was England’s defeat by the highest margin to Australia in a Test since they lost by an innings and 148 runs at Headingley in 1993.

Pat Cummins was adjudged the man of the match for his eight wickets evenly shared in both the innings. Aussie skipper Steven Smith was declared the man of the series for his 687 runs, more than 300 in front of the highest-scoring England batsman, Dawid Malan.

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