Ashes 2019 | Australia retain the Ashes, beat England by 185 runs in 4th Test

Australia have retained the Ashes after beating England by 185 runs in the final session of the fourth test at Old Trafford.

Australia dismissed England's second innings for 197 deep into the evening session on Sunday to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. As the holder, Australia only needed to draw the series to keep cricket's famous urn.

Josh Hazlewood claimed the winning wicket, trapping Craig Overton leg before wicket.

Earlier, Pat Cummins struckin the first session to break a stubborn 66-run stand between Jason Roy and Joe Denly before getting the big wicket of Ben Stokes to lead Australia closer to the win in the fourth Test at Old Traffod.

Roy and Denly started on an overnight total of 18/2 with Cummins dismissing Rory Burns and England captain Joe Root off consecutive deliveries in the first over of the England innings towards the end of Day 4. Roy fought on to reach 31, his highest score in a series in which he has mostly struggled for runs.

However, Cummins managed to get one through his gates in the 25th over to provide Australia the breakthrough. Stokes, who remarkably took England to victory in the previous Test with an unbeaten 135 walked in to warm applause from the Old Trafford crowd.

Stokes was cautious throughout his stay in the middle but it turned out to be a short one. Cummins pitched it back of a length and Stokes tried to take his bat our of the way in the last minute. Tim Paine took the catch and was celebrating straightaway while Stokes started walking before the umpire raised his finger. 

Australia took two wickets in the second session as they moved within four wickets of winning the match. Jos Buttler led the resistance for England with Craig Overton down the other end at Tea with England at 166/6.

Joe Denly scored a resolute half-century but his stay at the pitch did not last too long in the second session. Nathan Lyon managed to get extra bounce and Denly fended it off straight to short leg. His stay lasted 123 balls and he made 53 runs.

Jonny Bairstow and Buttler then stayed put for much of the second session. However, Bairstow became Mitchell Starc's first wicket of the innings and Australia were into the tail.

However, it was Josh Hazlewood who struck at the vital moment again, as he surprised Buttler with a delivery coming inside. Buttler, who left the ball, was stunned with the inward angle as the ball hit straight at the stumps. England received a further blow merely three overs later when Jofra Archer was dismissed by Nathan Lyon

Overton and Jack Leach then forged a gritty partnership to renew England's hopes of survival. The duo resisted the Aussie bowlers for 14 overs, as Jack Leach scored a fighting 12 off 51 deliveries before knicking one to the keeper Tim Paine off Marnus Labuschagne.

Overton was the last man dismissed, even as Australia had to wait for the 3rd umpire's decision as the batsman reviewed an LBW decision.

Brief scores:

Australia 497/8d (Steve Smith 211, Marnus Labuschagne 67; Stuart Broad 3/97) & 186/6d (Steve Smith 82, Matthew Wade 34; Jofra Archer 3/45)
England 301 (Rory Burns 81, Joe Root 71; Josh Hazlewood 4/57) & 197 (Joe Denly 53, Jos Buttler 34; Pat Cummins 4/43)

(With inputs from IANS)