Ashes 2015: England defeats Australia by an innings and 78 runs to clinch series victory at Trent Bridge

Updated

England has reclaimed the Ashes from Australia, posting an innings and 78-run win on day three of the fourth Test at Trent Bridge.

And the repercussions from Australia's series defeat may be felt for some time, with captain Michael Clarke confirming he will retire after the fifth Test at The Oval.

Australia resumed day three on 7 for 241, trailing England by 90 runs, but it took the home side less than an hour to wrap up the tail and establish an unassailable 3-1 series lead.

The visitors were all out for 253 in their second innings, a more encouraging return than their first knock when they were dismissed for an embarrassing total of 60.

Victory saw England regain the Ashes after it was whitewashed 5-0 in Australia in 2013/14.

It also gave England a fourth successive Ashes series win on home soil, with Australia's last away triumph coming in 2001.

Ben Stokes, who finished with Test-best figures of 6 for 36, had Mitchell Starc caught by Ian Bell at second slip for a duck and Mark Wood bowled Josh Hazlewood also without scoring.

Wood produced another ferocious full-pitched delivery to shatter Nathan Lyon's (4) stumps and complete the rout, sparking wild celebrations on the pitch and all around the ground.

Adam Voges was unbeaten on 51.

"It's unbelievable. I couldn't be happier," England captain Alastair Cook said.

"For what we've been through over the last 18 months, to play like we did has been fantastic. I'm so proud of this young team and the way they've taken this opportunity."

Clarke said Australia would offer no excuses, conceding his troops were beaten by a better side.

"England deserve a lot of credit," he said.

"The way they have come out and bowled in the past two Test matches has showed us what you have to do in these conditions.

"There's been a bit of swing and a bit of seam but they have executed really well. I think they have set the standard. We certainly have to admit that we were beaten by a better team."

England quick Stuart Broad said Cook deserved praise for his role in helping England rebound from the Ashes defeat to Australia less than two years ago.

"He has needed support from time to time but he also has always had a very focused end goal and that is to take this team back to winning ways and let youngsters come through and show flair," he said.

"I mean, Joe Root, he's only played 30 Test matches and has eight Test match hundreds. The way the guys are playing - Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, what a difference

"Cooky's had great backing from the change room but he's stood up as a man and led from the front and the way his own form's turned around, that 100 in Barbados was crucial for him I think.

"And he's a pleasure to play with. He's so passionate about England playing well, he's got such hunger for England to do well and I'm not surprised he got emotional because it means that much to him."

Broad elated with England victory

Australia was in trouble right from the start of this match as it collapsed to 60 all out in 111 balls - the shortest completed first innings in Test history - on the first day.

Broad, who took two wickets in the first over of the match, including his 300th at this level, finished with a Test-best return of 8 for 15 in Australia's first innings.

"It's strange looking at the scorecard, it doesn't look quite real," Broad said.

"These are once-in-a-lifetime spells and moments. To get 8 for 15 against Australia on my home ground, if I'd written that script someone would have just laughed at me.

"It's incredible to do it in a performance that regained the Ashes in front of my home crowd and with the atmosphere being so good."

England in reply made 9 for 391 (declared), with Joe Root top scoring with 130.

The victory gave England its second successive win inside three days after it beat Australia by eight wickets to claim the third Test at Edgbaston last week.

Saturday's result also saw England end a seven-match sequence of alternating wins and losses, as it achieved back-to-back wins in Test cricket for the first time in 2015.

The series concludes at The Oval in London where the fifth Test begins on August 20.

ABC/Wires

Topics: ashes, cricket, sport, england, united-kingdom

First posted