Australia beats England to retain the Ashes

By Vic Mills

NOTTINGHAM, England (JP): The fourth day of the fifth Test at Trent Bridge belonged to Australia as they won both the game and the series to retain the Ashes.

With little heart for the contest, England was beaten by 264 runs to give the tourists an unassailable 3-1 series lead with just The Oval test remaining.

The fun and games began with the second ball of the day as Andrew Caddick had Steve Waugh (14) caught in the slips fending off a delivery that steepled. The more optimistic English supporters sensed an improbable victory.

Ian Healy quickly put such thoughts to flight with a vicious assault on the England bowlers. In partnership with the fleet- footed Ricky Ponting, 75 was added in the first hour as Caddick, Headley and Malcolm were put to the sword.

The diminutive wicket-keeper, later to be named man-of-the- match, brought up his fifty in 75 minutes off just 49 balls with 8 fours. The hundred partnership followed in 91 minutes off 121 balls.

Healy (63) eventually fell 15 minutes before lunch to give Adam Hollioake his first Test wicket. His stand with Ponting realized 105 and put the game, even with a day and two sessions remaining, beyond England. Australia went to lunch on 278 for six, an overall lead of 392.

Lusty hitting by the tail added a further 56 to leave Australia 336 all out and England needing 451 to win.

Reminiscent of the first day, England again failed to use the conditions or force home the early advantage. Adam Hollioake (2 for 31) and Caddick (3 for 85) were the pick of an undistinguished performance in the field.

Urged on by another sell-out crowd, Atherton and Stewart safely negotiated the early overs. Disaster struck either side of the tea interval, however, as first Atherton (8) was caught behind fending off a lifting delivery from McGrath and then three balls after the restart Stewart (16) played a tired shot to Reiffel and was caught by Steve Waugh in the gully to leave England reeling at 25 for two.

The immediate post-tea period belonged to Jason Gillespie as he tore the heart out of the England middle order. In an astonishing eight over spell that went for 65 he bowled Hussain (21), had Crawley (33) caught by Healy and sent Adam Hollioake (2) on his way leg before. At 125 for five, England was hurtling toward defeat.

Graham Thorpe capitalized on Gillespie's waywardness to bring up his fifty in 41 balls with 9 fours. It was a lone battle though, for now Warne got in on the act by dismissing Ben Hollioake (2), Croft (6) and Caddick (0).

At 166 for eight, and with storms forecast for the final day, Mark Taylor claimed the extra half-hour in an effort to force home victory. McGrath obliged with the wickets of Headley (4) and Malcolm (0).

With Thorpe (82) left high and dry, England had folded for 186 in just 48.5 overs to leave Australia victorious by 264 runs. McGrath (3 for 36), Warne (3 for 43) and Gillespie (3 for 65) divided the spoils equally with Reiffel (1 for 34) chipping in at the start.

Mark Taylor savored a fifth consecutive Australian Ashes series triumph: "It's a great feeling," he enthused.

"We were under a bit pressure after the first Test but we played a lot better and I think we deserved to win.

"We've got a very good team with some very good individuals taking wickets and scoring runs when we needed them."

England captain Mike Atherton refused to be drawn on his future after seeing his team lose another Ashes series.

"We'll wait and see," was all he would say.

"Australia has a particularly good side and they were just too good for us. They played particularly well when they needed to. When they have a big lead they are pretty unstoppable."