Australia’s fast bowlers ran through the English batting line-up to claim a comprehensive 146-run win in the fifth and final Ashes Test at Hobart on Sunday, sealing a one-sided series 4-0.
After a bright 68-run opening stand chasing 271 for victory, England collapsed once again to hand the Test to the rampant Australian outfit, losing 10 wickets for 56 runs in 137 balls.
The hosts could easily have won the series 5-0, but for some bad weather and heroics from Eng-land’s lower order in Sydney, when the outclassed visitors held on for a tense draw.
“To be at the end of a five-Test series with so many positives — winning 4-0 — it’s huge so I’m really pumped,” Australian captain Pat Cummins said.
“It really feels like we are building to something big. I can’t wait to show our wares overseas so we can really judge ourselves in all conditions.”
England had no answers once more in Hobart to the pace barrage of Cummins, Cameron Green, Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc, who shared the wickets between them and took nine English wick-ets in the night session.
So dominant were the fast bowlers, off-spinner Nathan Lyon did not bowl a ball in the entire match. England captain Joe Root admitted his side were simply not good enough throughout the series.
“It’s been a really tough tour,” he said. “We’ve played good cricket in parts, we’ve just not been able to structure a whole game together.
“It’s something we have to learn from and not go away and keep making the same mistakes. We’ve been outplayed in all areas and credit to Australia.”
The tourists had bowled Australia out for 155 during the middle session, leaving themselves an improbable target of 271 for victory.—AFP
