EnglishLady
Veteran Expediter
England won the final Ashes Test in Sydney by an innings and 83 runs to wrap up the series 3-1 and secure their first win down under in 24 years.
The Aussies began the last day in a hopeless position at 213-7, 151 runs behind, but Peter Siddle and Steve Smith kept England's champagne on ice.
Siddle finally went for 43 when slog-sweeping spinner Graeme Swann.
James Anderson removed Ben Hilfenhaus before Chris Tremlett bowled Michael Beer with the score on 281.
Smith was unbeaten on 54 having added 86 with Siddle, who saw out the first 25 minutes of Friday's action before rain struck for 40 minutes to keep England and their supporters frustrated for a while longer.
With the second new ball almost due, Swann finally struck for the first time in the innings, and the last two wickets fell within a further six overs - Hilfenhaus providing Matt Prior with his 23rd catch of the series before Beer chopped a delivery onto his stumps.
The final wicket sparked emotional celebrations for England, while the contrast in the Australian camp could not have been starker.
The chaos in the home dressing room was underlined when Michael Clarke, the stand-in skipper for this Test, resigned from Twenty20 internationals minutes after the official presentations.
England's fans dominated the Sydney Cricket Ground with the Barmy Army's songs and chants echoing around the famous arena.
Victorious skipper Andrew Strauss joined Sir Len Hutton and Mike Brearley to become only the third England captain to win Ashes series at home and away.
"We came over here desperately wanting to win the series," said Strauss, who was captain when England regained the Ashes at home in 2009.
"Obviously in Melbourne we retained the Ashes but we really wanted to finish with a bang here in Sydney.
"All credit to the guys, they've been outstanding again, the way the bowlers bowled on day one, the batsmen dipped their bread in it again and we got another victory.
"We're delighted with what we've done and we're certainly going to enjoy this evening, that's for sure."
Anderson, part of the England team whitewashed 5-0 in Australia four years ago, finished with 3-61 for 24 wickets in the series and the best haul by an England bowler in Australia since Frank "Typhoon" Tyson collected 28 in 1954-55.
He said: "It's been a great tour for us, an amazing sort of feeling for us retaining the Ashes last week and winning the series this week
"I'm delighted with my form this trip, enjoying my role in the team leading the attack. My job has been made easy by the guys at the other end, Steven Finn and Stuart Broad at the start of the series and Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan later on, and our fielding has been amazing.
"We've been working really hard on it, the catches we've taken this series are better than any I remember in any other series."
Paul Collingwood, given the honour of leading out the England team on his final day as a Test cricketer, said: "Today is absolute number one. It's a special, special day and I can't think of a better way to step out of Test cricket. A lot of guys in the dressing room put a lot of hard work in to achieve this.
"My role in the side is to score runs, I'm disappointed I haven't done that. But four years ago I scored a double century and we lost 5-0 and I much prefer it this way round. We deserve it."
It was the first time any team had won three Tests by an innings in a single series away from home. The last time England had done it against any opponents, India, had been in 1959.
It was also the first time Australia had lost three Tests at home since 1988-89, when Viv Richards' world-beating West Indies side also won by a 3-1 margin
Alastair Cook was both man of the match and man of the series, having hit 189 in Sydney and 766 across all five matches.
"It's been an amazing series for me, I couldn't imagine this seven weeks ago," he said.
"The double hundred [in Brisbane] was a very special moment for me and to win man of the match in the final game of the Ashes is a dream come true.
"Our bowlers have been fantastic throughout the whole series, they've made our job as batters far easier."
Kevin Pietersen hailed the team effort, saying: "It's amazing to win so convincingly in Australia. It's all credit to the team and the management.
"Every single bloke has done something to make it such a great trip.
"Every single time an occasion has been needed, one of us has stood up. I did in Adelaide, but every single bloke, player, member of the backroom staff has been outstanding
The Aussies began the last day in a hopeless position at 213-7, 151 runs behind, but Peter Siddle and Steve Smith kept England's champagne on ice.
Siddle finally went for 43 when slog-sweeping spinner Graeme Swann.
James Anderson removed Ben Hilfenhaus before Chris Tremlett bowled Michael Beer with the score on 281.
Smith was unbeaten on 54 having added 86 with Siddle, who saw out the first 25 minutes of Friday's action before rain struck for 40 minutes to keep England and their supporters frustrated for a while longer.
With the second new ball almost due, Swann finally struck for the first time in the innings, and the last two wickets fell within a further six overs - Hilfenhaus providing Matt Prior with his 23rd catch of the series before Beer chopped a delivery onto his stumps.
The final wicket sparked emotional celebrations for England, while the contrast in the Australian camp could not have been starker.
The chaos in the home dressing room was underlined when Michael Clarke, the stand-in skipper for this Test, resigned from Twenty20 internationals minutes after the official presentations.
England's fans dominated the Sydney Cricket Ground with the Barmy Army's songs and chants echoing around the famous arena.
Victorious skipper Andrew Strauss joined Sir Len Hutton and Mike Brearley to become only the third England captain to win Ashes series at home and away.
"We came over here desperately wanting to win the series," said Strauss, who was captain when England regained the Ashes at home in 2009.
"Obviously in Melbourne we retained the Ashes but we really wanted to finish with a bang here in Sydney.
"All credit to the guys, they've been outstanding again, the way the bowlers bowled on day one, the batsmen dipped their bread in it again and we got another victory.
"We're delighted with what we've done and we're certainly going to enjoy this evening, that's for sure."
Anderson, part of the England team whitewashed 5-0 in Australia four years ago, finished with 3-61 for 24 wickets in the series and the best haul by an England bowler in Australia since Frank "Typhoon" Tyson collected 28 in 1954-55.
He said: "It's been a great tour for us, an amazing sort of feeling for us retaining the Ashes last week and winning the series this week
"I'm delighted with my form this trip, enjoying my role in the team leading the attack. My job has been made easy by the guys at the other end, Steven Finn and Stuart Broad at the start of the series and Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan later on, and our fielding has been amazing.
"We've been working really hard on it, the catches we've taken this series are better than any I remember in any other series."
Paul Collingwood, given the honour of leading out the England team on his final day as a Test cricketer, said: "Today is absolute number one. It's a special, special day and I can't think of a better way to step out of Test cricket. A lot of guys in the dressing room put a lot of hard work in to achieve this.
"My role in the side is to score runs, I'm disappointed I haven't done that. But four years ago I scored a double century and we lost 5-0 and I much prefer it this way round. We deserve it."
It was the first time any team had won three Tests by an innings in a single series away from home. The last time England had done it against any opponents, India, had been in 1959.
It was also the first time Australia had lost three Tests at home since 1988-89, when Viv Richards' world-beating West Indies side also won by a 3-1 margin
Alastair Cook was both man of the match and man of the series, having hit 189 in Sydney and 766 across all five matches.
"It's been an amazing series for me, I couldn't imagine this seven weeks ago," he said.
"The double hundred [in Brisbane] was a very special moment for me and to win man of the match in the final game of the Ashes is a dream come true.
"Our bowlers have been fantastic throughout the whole series, they've made our job as batters far easier."
Kevin Pietersen hailed the team effort, saying: "It's amazing to win so convincingly in Australia. It's all credit to the team and the management.
"Every single bloke has done something to make it such a great trip.
"Every single time an occasion has been needed, one of us has stood up. I did in Adelaide, but every single bloke, player, member of the backroom staff has been outstanding
