Ashes: England wrap up 3-1 series win over Australia

Fifth Ashes Test, Sydney (day five):
England 644 beat Australia 280 & 281 by an innings and 83 runs
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Match scorecard

England celebrate as the final wicket goes down in Sydney

By Oliver Brett

England won the final Ashes Test in Sydney by an innings and 83 runs to wrap up the series 3-1 and secure their first win down under in 24 years.
The Aussies began the last day in a hopeless position at 213-7, 151 runs behind, but Peter Siddle and Steve Smith kept England's champagne on ice.
Siddle finally went for 43 when slog-sweeping spinner Graeme Swann.
James Anderson removed Ben Hilfenhaus before Chris Tremlett bowled Michael Beer with the score on 281.
Smith, who was rewarded for some bold shots, was unbeaten on 54 having added 86 with Siddle.
Anderson, the leader of England's pace attack, finished with 3-61 for 23 wickets in the series. It was the best haul by an England bowler in Australia since Frank "Typhoon" Tyson collected 28 in 1954-55.
He said afterwards: "It's been a great tour for us, an amazing sort of feeling for us retaining the Ashes last week and winning the series this week.

The tour has been a joyous one for England fans
"I'm delighted with my form this trip, enjoying my role in the team leading the attack. My job has been made easy by the guys at the other end, Steven Finn and Stuart Broad at the start of the series and Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan later on, and our fielding has been amazing.
"We've been working really hard on it, the catches we've taken this series are better than any I remember in any other series."
Paul Collingwood, given the honour of leading out the England team in his final Test, said: "Today is absolute number one. It's a special, special day and I can't think of a better way to step out of Test cricket. A lot of guys in the dressing room put a lot of hard work in to achieve this.
"My role in the side is to score runs, I'm disappointed I haven't done that. But four years ago I scored a double century and we lost 5-0 and I much prefer it this way round. We deserve it."
Victorious skipper Andrew Strauss joined Sir Len Hutton and Mike Brearley to become the third England captain to win Ashes series at home and away.
It was the first time any team had won three Tests by an innings in a single series away from home. The last time England had done it against any opponents, India, had been in 1959.
It was also the first time Australia had lost three Tests at home since 1988-89, when Viv Richards' world-beating West Indies side also won by a 3-1 margin.
Alastair Cook was both man of the match and man of the series, having hit 189 in Sydney and 766 across all five matches.
"It's been an amazing series for me, I couldn't imagine this seven weeks ago," he said.
"The double hundred [in Brisbane] was a very special moment for me and to win man of the match in the final game of the Ashes is a dream come true.
"Our bowlers have been fantastic throughout the whole series, they've made our job as batters far easier."







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