Hazlewood the hero as Australia wins back Ashes

Josh Hazlewood took 5 for 48 as Australia reclaimed the Ashes, winning the third Test by an innings and 41 runs to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series against England.

On the final day of international action at Perth’s iconic WACA ground on Monday (December 18), Hazlewood triggered another insipid batting display by the visiting side, which resumed the last day of the Test on 132 for 4 and was shot out for 218.

Play only began after the scheduled luncheon break after a showers had threatened to disrupt proceedings entirely. Rain had forced play to be called off early on the fourth evening and the showers spilled over to Monday morning, delaying the start of play by well over two hours.

To make things worse, there was a damp spot on the pitch just outside the popping crease at the southern end of the ground. The ground staff worked furiously with leaf blowers to try and dry out the patch out around more showers, with the covers coming on and off at regular intervals throughout the morning.

Chris Gaffaney and Marais Erasmus, the umpires, did not allow play to resume until they believed the pitch had been returned to the same condition as at the end of day four.

In the end, all that was almost secondary to the home side, which won back the Ashes on the back of powerful bowling performance headlined by Hazlewood’s brilliance.

Trailing by 259 on the first innings and needing a further 127 merely to make Australia bat again, England’s hopes took a hammering shortly after resumption when Jonny Bairstow, one of two first-innings centurions, fell to the first ball he faced for the day from Hazlewood, clean bowled for 14.

Moeen Ali was trapped in front by Nathan Lyon, the fifth time this series that the Australian off-spinner got rid of his English counterpart.

Dawid Malan, the other centurion in England’s first-innings 403, battled on to reach 54 before being strangled down the leg-side as England’s resistance crumbled.

Hazlewood completed his five-for by getting rid of Craig Overton, and Pat Cummins secured the famous urn for the home side when he had Chris Woakes caught behind for 22, prompting Australian celebrations.

After England had imploded spectacularly in its first innings by losing its last six wickets for 35 runs, Australia piled up 662 for 9 declared. Steve Smith, the skipper, made 239 while Mitchell Marsh, on his comeback, hammered 181, the pair putting on 301 for the fifth wicket.

With the series decided, the teams will head to Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test starting at the MCG on December 26.