- Australia retained the Ashes following victory over England at Old Trafford
- Holders lead the series 2-1 with one match to play but overall victory is secured
- It is Australia’s first Ashes victory on English soil since their 2001 tour
- Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon shone as they took the eight wickets required
- Joe Denly made a half-century; Craig Overton and Jack Leach offered resistance
Australia have retained the Ashes with victory over England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, claiming their first away series win since 2001.
Though they lead only 2-1 in the series with one match to play, Australia will keep the Urn because they are the holders and cannot now lose overall.
The fiery pace of Pat Cummins and the spin of Nathan Lyon saw them overcome some dogged England batting resistance on the final day, taking the eight wickets they needed to claim the win by 185 runs.
Joe Denly made 53 while Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Craig Overton and Jack Leach all dug in but there was to be no repeat of the miraculous finish to the third Test at Headingley.
The moment Australia retained the Ashes with a 185-run victory over England at Old Trafford
Australia had to wait the outcome of a review to confirm the wicket of Craig Overton
Pat Cummins celebrates taking the breakthrough wicket of England’s Jason Roy on Sunday
Roy made 31 before becoming Cummins’ third victim of the innings at Old Trafford
Roy expresses his frustration as he returns to the pavilion as his poor Ashes continu
It was always going to be a tall order for England, resuming on 15 for two with Rory Burns and captain Joe Root already dismissed on Saturday night, to get through the 98 scheduled overs.
But there were some initially positive signs as Denly and Jason Roy started with the necessary determination and patience.
Roy, whose struggles in this Ashes series have been in stark contrast to his outstanding form against the white ball in the World Cup, reached 31 before being bowled by the irrepressible Cummins.
That brought the hero of Headingley Ben Stokes to the crease to huge cheers but the atmosphere was deflated when Cummins removed him for just one, leaving England wobbling on 74 for four.
Ben Stokes was unable to replicate his Headingley heroics as he fell for just one run
Stokes feathered an edge to a perfectly pitched Cummins delivery to fall cheaply
And when Denly departed, held by Marnus Labuschagne at close quarters off Lyon’s bowling, for a gutsy 53, England’s hopes had all but vanished.
Bairstow and Buttler did halt the Aussie charge and took England into the evening session but the task proved beyond them.
Buttler was bowled by Josh Hazlewood while attempting to leave the ball before Jofra Archer was trapped lbw by Lyon.
But that was followed by an heroic rearguard effort by Overton and Jack Leach for the ninth wicket, their every ball cheered by the crowd as England started to dream of an improbable escape act.
It took an unlikely bowling change to introduce Labuschagne into the attack to snare the wicket of Leach.
And the winning moment for Australia came when Overton was rapped on the pads by Hazlewood – a desperate England review in vain.
More to follow.
Joe Denly salutes the England balcony after reaching his half-century just after lunch
Denly ducks under a short ball from Pat Cummins during his gutsy innings of 53 off 123 balls
But Denly was dismissed shortly afterwards with Marnus Labuschagne taking a sharp catch
Denly walks off as Australia celebrate another vital wicket in their pursuit of Test and series win
Australia celebrate the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow, trapped lbw by Mitchell Starc for 25
The loss of Bairstow midway through the afternoon session came as a body blow for England
Cummins thought he had the wicket of Craig Overton but it was overturned on review
Jos Buttler made 34 off 111 balls before being bowled by Josh Hazlewood after leaving the ball
Hazlewood jumps for joy after taking the wicket of Buttler as Australia get the seventh wicket
Nathan Lyon celebrates the wicket of Jofra Archer, who was trapped lbw having scored one
Jack Leach pauses to clean his glasses inbetween overs as England make their last stand
Craig Overton and Leach fist bump during their heroic ninth wicket stand at Old Trafford
Marnus Labuschagne celebrates taking the wicket of Jack Leach as Australia closed in
source:dailymail