England 332 & 373-9dec beat Australia 160 & 348 by 197 runs
Scorecard
ENGLAND regained the Ashes with a 2-1 series victory after bowling out Australia with a day to spare in the fifth Test at The Oval.
In scenes reminiscent of four years ago when England also won 2-1, captain and man of the series Andrew Strauss gained revenge for the miserable whitewash in Australia in 06-07.
This was a truly remarkable finish to a remarkable series which may have lacked the quality of play in the 2005 success but made up for it with the same topsy-turvy drama.
Set an unlikely 546 to win the match, Australia resumed their world record chase attempt on 80-0 with Shane Watson and Simon Katich at the crease.
But, within the first half an hour, both openers were gone and tide was going in England's favour as expected.
Katich fell first on 43, lbw to Graeme Swann whose spin would prove to be vital as he took four wickets on a pitch which broke up.
Watson followed shortly afterwards on 40, lbw to Stuart Broad, the man of the match for his five-for in the first innings as Australia were bowled out for 160.
But Australia showed typical resilience as skipper Ricky Ponting joined Mike Hussey at the crease to build a partnership which guided them to lunch for no further loss on 171-2.
When the pair were still going almost an hour after the interval, anticipation of an England win was starting to be replaced by a sense of trepidation that the Aussies might just pull it off.
But the match turned decisively in England's favour when Andrew Flintoff - who else? - ran out Australian skipper Ricky Ponting with a direct hit at the stumps in his final Test match.
Michael Clarke followed in the next over for a duck, quite incredibly through another run out, with the blow delivered this time by Strauss.
And next man Marcus North did not last much longer, stumped by Matt Prior off Swann for 10 having just survived being dropped by Paul Collingwood.
That left Australia on 236-5 but Hussey remained in good nick and he achieved his first century in 28 Test innings shortly after tea.
Hussey and Brad Haddin ensured a veneer of tension remained at The Oval but Australia still looked a long way off their target.
Then Haddin, who had edged a few in the air during his innings of 34, got another one wrong and this time it proved costly.
Swann induced a rash shot which was taken by Strauss and it left poor Hussey without any more specialist batsmen.
Again the wickets fell in clumps and in the next over, Mitchell Johnson was gone for a duck.
Collingwood made up for his earlier drop to help Durham team-mate Steve Harmison take his first wicket of the match and the Ashington-born paceman was not finished there.
Peter Siddle had scored just 10 when he got a leading edge which was taken by Flintoff as Harmison took his second.
And Harmison put England on the brink of victory by dismissing Stuart Clark first ball as Alastair Cook took the catch.
Ben Hilfenhaus survived the hat-trick ball but only five more runs were added to the Aussies' tally before the coup de grace was applied.
Appropriately, it was Swann who did the damage as another Cook catch meant he took his eighth wicket of the match, that of Hussey who was finally out for an excellent 121.
That signalled the start of the party for England as red and white confetti and fireworks filled the sky.
But for Australia captain Ponting, this would have been a horrendous case of deja-vu as he became the first Aussie skipper to lose two Ashes series since 1890.
The lack of a frontline spinner cost Australia badly in this match and the series. Just as much was acknowledged by Ponting in his bowling selection during the game as well as in his post-match interviews.
Even more surprisingly, the selection error came just as they had regained all the momentum in the series with their crushing win at Headingley.
Before then, of course, England had enjoyed the better momentum in the series.
First, the hosts somehow survived at Cardiff in the first Test when the last two men James Anderson and Monty Panesar batted for 11 overs to save the match.
And that uplift in mood resulted in an easy win at Lord's, the first against the Aussies since 1934 before England also dominated the third Test at Edgbaston, a rain-affected draw.
This was also a remarkable series because statistically it looks a lot better for Australia, yet England won.
Hussey's century this afternoon made it eight as compared to England's two and the tourists also had the three top wicket-takers.
But while the Aussies may have piled up more runs and exposed the sometimes brittle English batting, England had almost all the vital moments.
That last-wicket stand of Panesar and Anderson at Cardiff, the Strauss century and Flintoff spell at Lord's and, finally at the Oval, Broad's spell and Jonathan Trott's debut ton.
After the Headingley disaster, I wrote that any Ashes victory for England would be so reliant on Flintoff, it would be won on foundations of sand.
But, while England undoubtedly remain a horribly inconsistent side, the emergence of Broad and discovery of Trott have at least proved in this Test that I was wrong on that count.
It must also be remembered that the 2005 series victory was the culmination of a brilliant unbeaten 18 months by Michael Vaughan's men.
Maybe the 2009 series win is the first chink of brilliance from this England era.
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EARLIER CLOSE OF PLAY REPORTS
Day Three (close)
England 322 [Strauss 55, Bell 72] & 373-9 dec [Strauss 75, Trott 119, Swann 63] v Australia 160 [Katich 50; Broad 5-37] & 80-0
ENGLAND look set for Ashes glory after leaving Australia a huge target by batting for most of the third day of the decider at The Oval.
Andrew Strauss declared on 373-9, a mammoth lead of 545 which the tourists had reduced by 80 at close of play.
Strauss had resumed the day at the crease with debutant Jonathan Trott and the pair continued where they had left off the night before, piling on the runs and the agony for the Aussie bowlers.
Both reached half centuries in the opening session, but in the final over before lunch, Strauss finally fell on 75, caught at slip by Michael Clarke off Marcus North.
Trott went on undeterred after the interval. But his partner, Matt Prior, had none of the same staying qualities and was run out by Simon Katich for four, attempting a run that was never there.
At least Prior's fall brought out the man everyone at The Oval wanted to see and, for the final time in Test cricket, Andrew Flintoff made his way to the middle.
Perhaps the match situation helped but everyone was relieved to see Flintoff play in typical style.
He hit 22 runs off just 18 balls before he holed out to Siddle, attempting another audacious shot off North.
After Flintoff's fireworks, Trott was next assisted towards his century by hero of the Aussie innings, Stuart Broad.
Broad, who took 5-37 as the Aussies collapsed to 160 all out on day two, played positively as well and scored at nearly a run a ball for his 29 before part-time spinner North struck again.
But the most impressive stand came from Trott and Graeme Swann who put on 90 runs for the eighth wicket.
While Trott edged towards his personal landmark, Swann pulverized the Aussie bowlers and struck 63 off 55 balls including nine fours to equal his Test high score either side of tea.
It was a devastating display of batting from the pair and one which bordered on humiliating for the Aussie bowlers.
Ben Hilfenhaus finally got Swann out after he skied a simple catch to Brad Haddin behind the stumps.
By this stage, Trott had progressed to 95 as James Anderson joined him at the crease on a pair for the time in his Test career.
Within minutes, Trott had gone onto 99 and, just one ball later, he made it to three figures.
Anderson also avoided his pair and with the nerves settled, another decent partnership of 40 for the ninth wicket was established.
Stuart Clark eventually dismissed Trott who edged a simple catch to North at gully on 119 and that action concluded the England innings.
It left Australia a nervy 20 overs to navigate before close of play and, in fairness, openers Shane Watson and Katich did well to reduce the arrears by 80 for no loss of wicket.
But the match and series remain very much in England's hands.
Though the Aussies have two days in which to do it, a successful chase would smash the Test record for a winning fourth-innings score, currently 418-7 for West Indies v Australia in 2003.
And, despite a decent start for the tourists this evening, Messrs Broad, Swann and of course Flintoff should ensure the open-top bus can be prepared for its parade.
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Day Two (close)
England 322 [Strauss 55, Bell 72] & 58-3 v
Australia 160 [Katich 50; Broad 5-37]
BRILLIANT Stuart Broad hauled England back into Ashes contention as Australia collapsed to 160 all out on day two of the fifth Test at The Oval.
Notts seamer Broad took 5-37, including a spell of 4-15, and the Aussies conceded a first innings deficit of 162.
There was still time for late drama when England collapsed to 39-3 and completed the most dramatic day of the series on which 15 wickets fell.
But captain Andrew Strauss remained unbeaten on 32 to guide England to 58-3 at close, an already decent lead of 230.
At the start of day two, England had resumed their first innings on 309-8 and were in a seemingly unfavourable position, needing to win this match to regain the Ashes.
In the second over of the day, the situation looked even worse as the hosts lost an early wicket for the fourth successive session.
James Anderson was the victim, trapped lbw by Ben Hilfenhaus for a duck, his first in 54 Test innings.
After a few lusty blows by Broad and Steve Harmison, Hilfenhaus wrapped up the innings by inducing Broad to edge to Ricky Ponting at second slip on 38.
Having bowled England out for a below-par score, the tourists unsurprisingly started confidently against some hostile bowling to reach 61-0 at lunch.
But England had similarly started their innings well and the morning had still given signs that this would avail plenty of chances for the bowlers.
Broad had faced speculation about his place in the team earlier in the series but responded with his best Test figures of 6-92 in the losing cause at Headingley.
He will undoubtedly take more cherished memories of this five-for as he enjoyed another glory day and maybe earned himself a mention in Ashes folklore.
After an extended lunch due to rain, Broad began to tear into the Aussie openers. Shane Watson who had scored three successive half-centuries since his call-up, could not make it four.
He was out lbw to Broad on 34 with Australia on 73-1 but the first crack had started to show.
Broad then took the massively important wicket of Ponting. The Aussie skipper was on just eight when he chopped a short delivery onto his own stumps.
But Broad was not finished by a long stretch and next to fall was the uncertain Mike Hussey, plumb lbw and out for a duck.
Then Michael Clarke, the top Australian run scorer in the series, fell for just three, caught by Ashes debutant Jonathan Trott off that man Broad.
Australia were at this point 93-4, Broad was on fire, and belief surged through the crowd in south London. More wickets were inevitable.
It was Graeme Swann who would be next to deliver, the spinner trapping Marcus North lbw for just eight.
And Swann did not just there, either. While wickets fell all around him, Simon Katich had played a professional innings to reach 50.
But Katich was unable to extend his score past the half-century and was caught by Alastair Cook after being bamboozled by Swann's spin.
Not to be outdone, Broad took out Brad Haddin's stumps with a full-length ball with a wicked swing.
The wicket-keeper was out for a solitary run and Australia were 111-7 without any remaining specialist batsmen, having been 73-0.
Swann cleaned up the tail either side of tea as Australia scraped together just enough runs to pass the follow on target of 133, though it is unlikely that England would have chosen to bat last on this pitch anyway.
Mitchell Johnson was caught behind the stumps by Matt Prior off Swann for 11 in the penultimate over before tea.
And in the third over after the break, the Notts spinner had struck again. Stuart Clark received a rotten decision, though, and was given out caught by Cook on six after the ball hit his thigh.
But the decision, nevertheless, left the Aussies on the brink after a woeful performance with the bat.
Aptly, Andrew Flintoff took the tourists' final first innings wicket, this being his final Test appearance, and he did it in typical style, clean bowling tail-ender Hilfenhaus.
And, remarkably, England ended day two as they began it, batting and losing wickets on a regular basis, only this time with the insurance of an innings of lead of 162.
Cook was first to be out on nine, caught in the slips by Clarke after a full-length delivery from part-time spinner Marcus North.
Ian Bell then failed to replicate his fine 72 from the first innings, out for just four to a brilliant catch by Katich at short leg off Johnson.
And when the same combination of Johnson and Katich removed Paul Collingwood for one, it was England's turn to feel the pressure on 39-3.
But Strauss remained calmly at the crease and, with Trott, guided England to close on 58-3, a lead of 230 runs.
After the woe of Headingley and some early Aussie dominance in this match, few would have predicted this turnaround on an amazing day of Ashes cricket.
And perhaps it added to the occasion even more that it was inspired by Stuart Broad, Flintoff's natural successor, rather than the tired talisman himself.
England should win this Test - and the Ashes - from this position.
Whatever their score with the bat is, and it already looks to be a decent lead, there should be ample time to take 10 more Australian wickets and cap an incredible, topsy-turvy series.
But if this series, and indeed this match, has proved anything, it is that nothing is a certainty in cricket.
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Day One (close)
England 307-8 [Strauss 55, Bell 72] v Australia
ENGLAND wasted a positive early position, closing the first day of the Ashes decider at the Oval on 307-8 after losing five wickets after tea.
Captain Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell made half centuries in a stand of 102 for the second wicket to reach lunch on 108-1 as the hosts recovered well from the early loss of Alastair Cook.
Cook's wicket fell early and he had only scored 10 before he edged to Australia captain Ricky Ponting at second slip off the bowling of Peter Siddle.
But Strauss and Bell fought back well and scored at four an over, taking England past their shameful first innings total of 102 at Headingley.
Shortly after the interval, though, Strauss needlessly hung his bat out at a wide ball from Ben Hilfenhaus, gifting a catch behind the stumps by Brad Haddin.
Despite this, England seemed undeterred as Paul Collingwood joined Bell at the crease for what looked to be a vital partnership.
It ended prematurely, however, with Collingwood on 24 as he drove at another delivery wide of off-stump off Siddle, succeeding only in steering the ball to Mike Hussey at gully.
The run rate had been slowed by the Aussie bowlers but England still looked in decent shape on 177-3 at tea.
Then, in keeping with the two earlier sessions, England lost a quick wicket as Bell failed to convert his score into a century.
The Warwickshire batsmen got an inside edge as Siddle picked up his third wicket of the day to leave England on 181-4.
Debutant Jonathan Trott overcame early nerves and began to look composed as he and Matt Prior took the hosts past 200.
Yet again, however, an England batsmen was guilty of a cheap wicket as Prior chased a wide ball from Mitchell Johson on 18, only to be caught at point by Shane Watson.
Andrew Flintoff was the new the batsman and after earlier in the series announcing his retirement from Test cricket, he was unsurprisingly given a raucous reception by the crowd in south London.
But Flintoff will not want to recall his first innings effort of just seven runs. He lasted only four overs before he was caught behind by Haddin off yet another ball outside off-stump by Johnson.
And when Trott was run out on 41 by some excellent fielding from Simon Katich, England looked in a perilous state on 268-7.
As seen previously, Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad provided solid resistance and batting down the order to take England past 300.
But Siddle, who has figures of 4-63, ensured it was the Aussies' day by removing Swann on 18 with the last ball as Haddin took his third catch.
Unlike the Headingley disaster, England have at least given themselves a fighting chance to win this Test and regain the Ashes with a 2-1 series victory.
Australia will be happier tonight, though, especially having lost the toss for the fourth time out of five matches.
They have not only rained on Flintoff's farewell so far but will know that by keeping England below 350, then gaining an innings lead, they will almost certainly retain the little urn.
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