Australia routs England to win Ashes 5-0

Sydney: Australia completed a 5-0 Ashes clean sweep against England on Sunday as the hapless tourists crumbled to a humiliating 281-run defeat in the fifth Test in Sydney.

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Demoralised England capitulated after tea against the home side's pace attack, losing seven wickets in 52 minutes on their way to being bundled out for 166 in 31.4 overs -- getting nowhere near the 448 target for victory.

It was the sixth time the beleaguered tourists had been skittled for under 200 in the series and the crushing defeat is expected to have major ramifications for English cricket just months after they beat Australia 3-0 in England.

Paceman Ryan Harris finished with five for 25 and man-of-the-series Mitchell Johnson -- who took 37 wickets in the five matches -- had figures of 3-40. Skipper Alastair Cook (7), Ian Bell (16) and Kevin Pietersen (6) all fell in the middle session as England limped to tea on 87-3 but it was carnage after the interval as four wickets tumbled in two overs with the tourists falling apart against inspired Australian bowling and fielding.

Michael Carberry (43) feathered Mitchell Johnson to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin just two balls after the resumption and three balls later debutant Gary Ballance was trapped plumb in front by Johnson for seven.

Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow was caught close in by George Bailey off spinner Nathan Lyon for a three-ball duck and debutant legspinner Scott Borthwick was magnificently caught by skipper Michael Clarke off Lyon for four. Ben Stokes offered some belated resistance, punishing Lyon for 20 off one over before he played Harris on to his stumps for 32 off 16 balls with three fours and two sixes.

Stuart Broad also went down swinging with four sixes and three fours in his 42 off 36 balls before bowled by Harris, and Boyd Rankin was last man out, caught overhead by Clarke at second slip to complete the victory.
Earlier Cook, who has endured a miserable series with the bat, was caught behind off Johnson for seven and was followed by Bell, who was snapped up the gully off Ryan Harris.

Pietersen was athletically caught by Bailey close to the bat off Harris as England's top order once again failed to fire. The England skipper has scored just 246 runs at 24.60 in this series, in sharp contrast to the last tour of Australia in 2010/11, when he amassed 766 runs at 127.66.

Bell, who was impressive in last year's Ashes series in England, and Pietersen, have both averaged less than 30 in the series. Australia were dismissed for 276 in their second innings shortly after lunch with Chris Rogers top-scoring with 119.

Haddin became the highest-scoring Australian wicketkeeper in a Test series with his breezy 28 off 40 balls. Haddin, the nemesis of the English bowlers with his lower middle-order batting, finished the series with 493 runs at 61.62 to better the previous best of 473 held by Adam Gilchrist against South Africa in 2001-02.

Australia leapfrogs England and Pakistan into third place

Australia leapfrogs England and Pakistan into third place

Dubai: India held on to their second spot even as a resurgent Australia leapfrogged to third in the latest ICC Test rankings after whitewashing England 5-0 in the Ashes series today.

Australia's 281-runs victory over England in the fifth and final Test in Sydney today has helped them jump two places to third on the table. The 5-0 series win has helped Australia gain 10 ratings points to finish on 111, six ratings points behind second-ranked India, the ICC said in a statement.

England, on the other hand, have conceded nine ratings points to end at 107, thereby moving down a place to fourth. South Africa are the clear leader of the table with 133 ratings points.

Australia had entered the Ashes series in fifth position on 101 ratings points but after taking a 4-0 lead, it was guaranteed fourth position on the table. Michael Clarke's side needed to either draw or win the Sydney Test to be able to move up two places to third.

Australia next play host South Africa in a three-Test series from February 12, while England's next assignment is a two-Test series against Sri Lanka from June 12. Number-two ranked India will be featuring in a two-Test series from February 10 against New Zealand.