The Ashes: Australia secures fifth Test victory by an innings and 46 runs as England celebrates series win at The Oval

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Australia has eventually secured victory on day four of the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval, defeating England by an innings and 46 runs.

With Australia battling England's lower order and an ever-fluctuating weather forecast, there was an urgency to the bowling with fear rain could bring the draw back into the equation.

It was the right-arm swing and seam of Peter Siddle (4 for 35) and Mitchell Marsh (2 for 56) that did the damage instead of the pacey left-armers Mitchell Johnson (1 for 65) and Mitchell Starc (0 for 40).

Retiring Australian captain Michael Clarke said the match summed up the series on the whole, which has fluctuated wildly from Test to Test.

"I think it probably sums up the series - both teams have had that rollercoaster ride," Clarke told Grandstand.

"We showed in two Test matches how we need to play in England consistently if we want to beat England in their own backyard.

"Obviously, England deserve congratulations and a lot of credit, they've won the Ashes, but I was really pleased and proud of the way the boys came out and did as I asked.

"This was a test of our character and we showed our character in this Test match that's for sure."

Rain delays Australian win, but England has last laugh

Mark Wood (6) came in as a nightwatchman late on day three and failed to hang around for long, given out lbw off the bowling of Siddle after a successful Australian review.

Jos Buttler had impressed in the evening session on day three but threw his wicket away in the softest fashion, meekly chipping Marsh to Starc at cover for 42.

But the weather would soon intervene, with a thick band of rain engulfing southern London and taking the players off the field for a frustrating two and a half hours.

The break only delayed the inevitable though, and as the clouds cleared and play resumed it took Australia only a further half an hour to wrap up the match.

Stuart Broad was knocked over by Siddle's second ball after the resumption for 11, before Moeen Ali's stubborn innings of 35 was broken by an edge, again from Siddle, through to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill.

Steve Smith took man-of-the-match honours at The Oval, having scored 143 to put Australia on track for a comfortable victory.

Smith was also the leading run-scorer of the series, having become the first Australian to score over 500 runs in an away Ashes since Matthew Elliott in 1997.

"I like batting in London, it's been good here," Smith said, having registered his maiden double-century in the second Test at Lord's.

"It was disappointing for us to play the way we did in the other Test matches ... but credit to England."

Bittersweet farewell for Rogers

While a fitting farewell for Clarke and Chris Rogers, it was England that was left celebrating the hardest after finally getting its hands on the Ashes after winning the series 3-2.

Joe Root was named man of the series in recognition of his two match-winning Ashes tons, with 134 in Cardiff and 130 at Trent Bridge.

Rogers said he was pleased to be going out of the game as a winner, but acknowledges the disappointment of the series loss is still there.

"It's certainly bittersweet," Rogers said.

"I think we showed when we play well, we're easily good enough but equally we didn't put in enough good performances and that counted against us so it's disappointing.

"It's nice to win today, but we'll look back at this and think 'what if'."

England captain Alastair Cook too expressed disappointment at his team's performance at The Oval, but said the the result would not take the shine off England's Ashes triumph.

It's certainly bittersweet. It's nice to win today, but we'll look back at this and think 'what if'. Chris Rogers

"The last four days hasn't quite gone to plan, and we're disappointed about that but I think at the beginning of the series, no one really gave us a chance of winning," Cook said.

"So to be 3-1 up going to The Oval, yeah it's disappointing to lose, but we can't let that take the gloss off a very special summer.

"It wasn't complacency. Just probably emotionally, coming from such a high at Trent Bridge and to do something so special there, to get yourself up again and be 100 per cent on it, which you have to do against a world class side, it was very hard to do."

ABC / AAP

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

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