Australia retain urn after 185-run triumph in the fourth Test

England’s hopes of reclaiming the Ashes finally disappeared after a brave 11th-hour resistance against Australia came up short on a nerve-racking final evening at Old Trafford.

Charged with the improbable prospect of nullifying the touring attack for 98 overs on the fifth day, the home side bristled with determination only for it to end in disappointment in front of a 23,500 sellout in Manchester.

Australia finally dismissed them for 197 at 6.15pm, with a 185run win giving them an unassailable 2-1 lead that means they will retain the urn regardless of events at The Oval next week.

That makes Joe Root the first England captain not to see off the old enemy on home soil since Nasser Hussain in 2001, and means outgoing head coach Trevor Bayliss will end his World Cupwinning reign on a sour note in the longer format.

Australia celebrated joyously on the outfield when Josh Hazlewood claimed the decisive lbw against Craig Overton, but they had been made to wait for their party by a gutsy batting performance.

Overton was one of three batsmen to face 100 or more deliveries on the day, joining Joe Denly (53) and Jos Buttler (34), but their collective efforts were not enough to conjure a sequel to Ben Stokes’ miracle of Headingley last time out.

England looked down and out when their last specialist batsman, Buttler, departed at 4.50pm but Overton and Jack Leach, reprising his unlikely role from Leeds, delayed Australia for more than an hour as memories of past rearguards came vividly to life.

It was not be, Leach unpicked by part-time leg-spinner Marnus Labuschagne and Overton trapped in front by Hazlewood in the 92nd over.

The hosts started the day on 18 for two, with nine players ready to take up the fight while Rory Burns and Root were reduced to watching briefs following their ducks on Saturday.

The pair had shared England’s biggest stand of the series in the first innings but in their stead it fell to Jason Roy and Denly to set the tone.

Root admitted his disappointment at losing the Ashes but hailed the character of his side in pushing Australia to the wire.

Root told Sky Sports: “I thought we showed great character, great fight and great belief in what we wanted to achieve.

“As last week we always believed, we always make sure we fight right until the end and we tried our hardest today.

“You can always look at different areas where you could have done things slightly differently but I couldn’t be more proud of the effort the guys put in today.

“I think we’ve seen some wonderful Test cricket over the course of the series and I expect the same at The Oval.”

Australia captain Tim Paine added: “It’s been an unbelievable series, it’s been intense, every game’s gone pretty much down to the wire and that’s what we expected and prepared for.”

Australia players celebrate retaining the Ashes.