Australia won back the Ashes after bowling England out
cheaply despite rain delays and a pitch controversy to secure an innings
win on the final day of the third Test in Perth on Monday.
Having
confirmed his status as the world's best batsman with a match-winning
double century, Steve Smith added victorious Ashes captain to his
ever-expanding resume as England were dismissed for 218 in their second
innings in the last Ashes Test to take place at the WACA Ground.
That
gave the home side an innings-and-41-run win and an unbeatable 3-0 lead
in the five-match series, having won the opening two Tests in Brisbane
and Adelaide.
Pat Cummins secured the famous urn for the
home side when he had Chris Woakes caught behind for 22, prompting
Australian celebrations.
But while it was a comfortable win, there was high drama on the final day courtesy of yet another WACA pitch controversy.
Victory
seemed assured for Australia when they had England 132 for four at the
conclusion of the fourth day, still 127 runs behind with Australia yet
to bat again, but a rain-damaged pitch threatened to end the match
without a ball being bowled on the final day.
Showers had
caused play to be abandoned early on the fourth day and they continued
through to Monday morning, forcing a scheduled early resumption to be
cancelled, with Australia needing just six more wickets to win the match
and regain the Ashes.
Complicating matters further was a damp spot on the pitch, just outside the popping crease at the southern end of the ground.
WACA
staff worked furiously with leaf blowers to try to dry the patch out as
more showers passed through and the covers came on and off at regular
intervals throughout the morning.
How the water got onto
the wicket was unclear, although there was speculation it might have
been linked to strong winds lifting the covers.
But
umpires Chris Gaffaney and Marais Erasmus would not allow play to resume
until they believed the pitch had been returned to the same condition
as at the end of day four.
Play did not get under way
until after lunch, and even then to the chagrin of an English camp who
felt the conditions were dangerous.
England's batsmen
also had to contend with balls jagging violently off cracks on the pitch
in a contentious end to 47 years of Ashes cricket at the WACA Ground.
Wickets
tumbled quickly for England upon the delayed resumption, with overnight
batsman and first-innings centurion Jonny Bairstow bowled for 14 by the
first delivery he faced for the day from Josh Hazlewood, which kept
low.
Hazlewood removed England's last hope Dawid Malan —
who backed up his first innings century with a fighting 54 before being
caught behind — to finish with figures of 5-48.
Malan's
first day heroics, when England appeared to be in a dominant position at
368-4 from which an innings defeat would be almost impossible, seemed a
distant memory as he trudged from the field.
