Brisbane, Dec 11: Australia clinched a strong nine-wicket victory over the Joe Root-led England on Day 4 to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Ashes series.
After a tricky Day 3, where Joe Root and Dawid Malan showed grit and perseverance in pulling England back in the match after conceding a large first-innings deficit, Australia came out in a strong fashion on the fourth morning, bowling England out for 297, with the last eight wickets falling for 77 runs.
Australia, requiring just 20 for victory, raced to the target early into the second session of the day, to take a 1-0 lead.
Resuming from 220/2 in 70 overs, England added just three runs to their overnight score when they lost their first wicket of the day, with Malan hitting a bat-pad catch to Marnus Labuschagne at silly mid-off for Nathan Lyon’s 400th Test wicket, ending the 162-run partnership.
Off-spinner Lyon became the 17th bowler to reach the milestone. Requiring just 20 for victory, after the lunch break, Carey joined Marcus Harris to open, with a rib injury cloud looming over opener David Warner.
Carey edged to keeping counterpart Buttler for nine in the chase off Ollie Robinson, with Harris finishing off the job in four days with a boundary through point off Mark Wood.
Brief scores
England 147 & 297 in 103 overs (Joe Root 89, Dawid Malan 82; Nathan Lyon 4/91) Australia 425 and 20/1 in 5.1 overs (Marcus Harris 9*,
O Robinson 1/13) (IANS)
