Hazlewood puts Poms to sword

Aussies make light of three-hour rain leak delay to crush England and regain Ashes

Australia reclaimed the Ashes on a misbehaving Waca wicket, crushing England by an innings and 41 runs on day five of the third test. Steve Smith’s men required a single session yesterday to roll the tourists for 218. England reluctantly resumed on 132-4, clinging to hope that wet weather could keep the series alive.

Overnight rain seeped through the covers and soaked an area of the pitch, threatening to ruin the hosts’ hopes of taking an unassailable 3-0 lead.

The start of play was delayed by three hours, during which ground staff worked on the wet spot with blower vacuums while captains Smith and Joe Root were in nearconstant dialogue with umpires.

Root appeared unhappy to hear play would start at 1pm local time.

The skipper’s sense of unease was amplified by Josh Hazlewood’s first delivery of the day, a shooter that straightened and clean-bowled Jonny Bairstow.

Hazlewood finished the innings with figures of 5-48. Australia turned the screws while deliveries ripped and roared off the deck.

Smith’s sense of urgency grew as Moeen Ali soaked up 56 balls at the crease but Nathan Lyon created the day’s second breakthrough, trapping the allrounder lbw to dismiss him for the fifth time this series.

Mitchell Starc was hampered by a bruised heel that could force him to miss the Boxing Day test.

Hazlewood stepped up as the side’s spearhead.

He removed Dawid Malan for 54, the Englishman offering stubborn re- sistance before he was caught behind down the leg side.

As has been the case throughout the series, Australia cleaned up the opposition’s tail with chin music.

Craig Overton was out edging to Hazlewood. Stuart Broad gloved a Pat Cummins bouncer and was caught behind, with the next delivery smacking the side of Jimmy Anderson’s helmet.

Anderson recovered and resumed his innings but it delayed the inevitable. Cummins reclaimed the urn when Chris Woakes guided a short ball straight to Tim Paine.

It capped a remarkable turnaround given England were 368-4 in their first innings at the Waca after winning the toss. Smith and Mitch Marsh’s 301-run stand turned the match on its head.

The series continues on Boxing Day at the MCG.