Australia retain Ashes, beats England by 185 runs in fourth Test

MANCHESTER: Australia retained the Ashes with a 185-run thrashing of England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Sunday. The victory left Australia 2-1 up in the five-Test series ahead of next week's finale at the Oval.

England, set a mammoth target of 383 to win, were dismissed for 197 on the fifth day. Craig Overton, who batted for 105 balls, was the last man out when lbw to Josh Hazlewood for 21.

Australia paceman Pat Cummins, the world's top-ranked Test bowler, had second-innings figures of 4-43 after teammate Steve Smith, top of the corresponding batting standings, scored 211 and 82.

That took Smith's tally for the series to 671 runs at 134.2 including three hundreds, despite missing England's one-wicket win in the third Test at Headingley with a concussion.

Brief scores:

Australia 1st Innings: 497-8 dec (S Smith 211, M Labuschagne 67, T Paine 58, M Starc 54 no; S Broad 3-97)

England 1st Innings: 301 (R Burns 81, J Root 71; J Hazlewood 4-57, P Cummins 3-60, M Starc 3-80)

Australia 2nd Innings: 186-6 dec (S Smith 82; J Archer 3-45)

England 2nd Innings: 197 (J Denly 53; P Cummins 4-43)

Result: Australia won by 185 runs

Series: Australia lead five-match series 2-1