Australia win Ashes

PERTH: Australia regained the Ashes when they won the third cricket Test against England by 206 runs at the WACA Ground here Monday.

The Australians bowled England out for 350 in their second innings to take an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the best of five series following wins in the first two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide.

The series now moves on to the fourth and fifth Tests in Melbourne and Sydney where the only interest will be whether England can avoid a demoralising clean sweep.

England fought hard to salvage the third Test and were led by defiant second innings by Alastair Cook (116), Ian Bell (87) and Kevin Pietersen with 60 not out.

But the task of batting for just over two days proved too much. Cook was superb in his first Test century against Australia but when he was dismissed in the third last over of the fourth day, the writing was on the wall.

The loss here adds to a wretched series for the English, who went into the first Test in Brisbane underdone and carrying players who were obviously out of form.