Ashes 3rd Test Day 5 : Australia reclaim the URN after 7 years

After 7 years, 3 Ashes losses, Australia finally reclaim the Ashes in a dramatic fashion, as they defeated England in the third test by 150 runs, and get an unassailable lead of 3-0 in the 5 match series.

The English began the day on a positive note. Both Matt Prior and Ben Stokes played solidly, amidst some nervy moments wherein the ball just passed the outside edge. The cracks on the pitch didn’t help much to their cause either. But somehow both of them negotiated the first hour without much fuzz.

Ben Stokes was impressive. He was not afraid to play shots, and he looked comfortable against the short ball too. Matt Prior looked uncomfortable with the new ball, and eventually fell to Johnson, after he edged one to Haddin while playing the cover drive. He fell for 26, and the Aussies could sense that the URN was within their grasp.

Stokes meanwhile continued his excellent strokeplay, and completed his first century, top edging a hook off Johnson for four. The very fact that it is the first 100 by an English-man this tour sums up their agonising batting form.

The Stokes-Bresnan duo ensured that England suffers no furthur casualities before the lunch. Though the England lost only one wicket in the morning, considering the out-of-form tail enders, only one wicket was needed to trigger a collapse.

And Lyon provided exactly that.

Ben Stokes was caught by Haddin after he bottom-edged a sweep. This was the much-needed wicket the Aussies were looking for. Swann couldn’t contribute much either, as he edged one to short leg. Bresnan fell soon, after he misjudged a slower ball off Johnson and was taken excellently by Chris Rogers.

Broad, braving an injury scare, came to bat inspite the fact that he has trouble even walking.

Eventually nothing mattered, as Anderson was caught off Johnson at short leg, and it was all over. The Ashes was finally home for Australia, and that too in the first 3 matches itself!

Steven Smith was declared the man of the match for his excellent century in the first innings. Both the teams have a long break before the boxing day test on 26th December.