England regain the Ashes

England regained the Ashes on the third day at Trent Bridge in emphatic style

A clinical 45 minutes’ work topped off a nigh-on perfect Test match for England as they regained the Ashes at Trent Bridge. Ben Stokes, who finished with career-best figures of 6 for 36, continued his superb bowling performance from the second day to remove Mitchell Starc with only one run added to Australia’s overnight tally of 241 for 7. Josh Hazlewood did little more than highlight how much swing Stokes was able to extract from a 65-over-old ball before Mark Wood cleaned him up with a brutal yorker. Adam Voges offered Australian fans the only reason for cheer, reaching 50 in 178 minutes – he remained not out on 51. The Ashes were sealed when Mark Wood persuaded Nathan Lyon to half-leave a ball which he dragged onto the stumps. Australia were dismissed for 253 and England won by an innings and 78 runs.

Australia were never realistically going to get back into the game after being dismissed inside 19 overs for 60. England’s first-innings score of 391 for 9 dec. – ended by Alastair Cook’s aggressive declaration – was likely to give enough of a lead knowing the form of the Australian batsmen. After a strong start in the second innings Australia were soon undone by Stokes’ brilliant swing bowling, going from 113 for 0 to 136 for 4 in a period before tea. 

In a bizarre series to this point, which has seen each side who has won dominate the match, England have been able to find more flaws in the techniques of the Australian top order, who were continually undone by the moving delivery. Too often their batsmen were found pushing hard at deliveries, determined to continue playing in the ‘Australian way’. Michael Clarke – who announced he will retire from international cricket after the series during an emotional and touching interview post match – had a wild lash at a full and wide delivery in the first innings. The captain’s shot was symbolic, and it spread through to the rest of his side.

Australia might look back at their selection for this Test and throughout the series – Shane Watson’s two scores of 30 and 19 would put him as a mid-order powerhouse on the basis of his team-mate's performances during the rest of the series. The further decision to then remove Watson’s replacement Mitchell Marsh with his brother Shaun for Trent Bridge, thus ridding Michael Clarke of a fourth seamer at what has been the most seam-friendly track of the series so far, suggested that the Australian selectors still aren’t sure where the real problem lies.

For now though, England will be able to revel in the fact that they have regained the Ashes after the horrors of the 2013/14 series. They’ve been emphatic, both in victory and defeat this summer.  Congratulations.

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