4th Ashes Test Review: England take unassailable lead to regain Ashes

4^th Ashes Test Review: England take unassailable lead to regain Ashes: As the third morning of the 4^th Ashes Test began on Saturday, fans all over the world were still coming to terms with reports of Michael Clarke possibly calling it quits after the series. Be that as it may there was an air of inevitability about the English win and the Aussies failed to last even an hour to go down by a heavy margin of innings and 78 runs. The Nottingham crowd just went ballistic as the England players ran in ecstasy. What a rolling ride for some of the England players who played the last Ashes down under! The Australian players were quick to realize that the shoe was on the other foot.

Mark Wood drove the final nail into the Australian coffin when Nathan Lyon played on to a length delivery. 599 days after getting drubbed 5-0 Down Under, England have taken an unassailable 3-1 lead and regained the Urn with a Test to go. Ben Stokes was England’s talisman when it mattered. Swinging the ball lavishly, he finished the innings with his best Test figures of 6 for 36.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting had earlier reckoned up to half of Australia’s Ashes squad may never play Tests again beyond the Oval. Do we need any better example of what this series means to the mighty Australians? Of course, both teams played for a lot of pride, but one has to say that Australia were terrible in this series. And their performance in this Test match would deeply hurt any Australian fan.

For England the party will stretch the length and breadth of the islands until the Urn is formally handed over at The Oval in London in a fortnight. Even though the narrative of this campaign had been written since the defeat at Edgbaston and the day one capitulation here, when looked in the overall context Australia’s meek surrender has been surprising. Fortunes of Test sides all over the world are following a predictable pattern off late. When at home they look unbeatable and as soon as they enter a foreign territory, they seem a fish out of water. England have been simply stupendous but would do well to keep their feet on ground.

The result of this Test had been effectively known since the two teams went to lunch on day one with Australia nursing a nasty spell of pace bowling by Broad to be bowled out for 60. Michael Clarke duly confirmed the news of his retirement in an interview with Shane Warne right after the match.

Ian Bell will be in the history books from now on for being one of the few English cricketers to have won five Ashes series. Alastair Cook as a captain has certainly shown a lot of self-belief to lead the side to a superb triumph. And you would forgive cricket fans for thinking “What on earth happened at Lords?” Australia has now lost four consecutive Ashes series away from home, and at this point one is surely reminded of Steve Smith’s pre series comment “If we play at our best (England) won’t get near us”. And look how things have transpired.

Brief Scores: England won by an innings and 78 runs

Series – England lead the 5 match series 3-1.

Man of the Match – Stuart Broad

Australia 1^st innings – 60 (Johnson 13; 60 Broad 8-15)

England 1^st innings – 391/9(dec) (Root 130; Starc 6-111)

Australia 2^nd innings – 253 (Warner 64; Stokes 6-36)