Ashes 3rd Test Day 3 AUS 136, 265, ENG 281, 124/2

End of test report: England have beaten Australia by eight wickets to win the third Ashes Test with two days to spare at Edgbaston.


The hosts now have a 2-1 lead in the five-match series going into the fourth Test at Trent Bridge.





England were set a target of 121 to win the match on day three after bowling Australia out for 265, and they reached their target before tea.

The home side did not get off to the best of starts at the crease when captain Alastair Cook was dismissed for just seven by Mitchell Starc with five overs bowled.


They were two wickets down seven overs later as Adam Lyth was sent packing lbw for 12 by Josh Hazlewood. The out-of-form batsman opted to review the decision, but replays left no doubt.


Ian Bell and Joe Root then struck up a winning partnership for England, with some dynamic shots from both men putting the Aussies on the back foot and keeping them there.


Bell raced to his 50, while Root kept him company with some similarly aggressive batting before the win was sealed.


Bell finished the second innings with an unbeaten knock of 65, with Root ending on 38 not out as England won the third Test in an Ashes series for the first time since 1981.



Lunch report: England have been set a target of 121 to win the third Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston.


The tourists, who started the day on 168-7, were bowled out for 265 during the morning session before the hosts reached 4-0 at lunch.


With Australia looking to build a competitive lead, Peter Nevill's resistance at the crease was ended early on when he was caught by Jos Buttler off the bowling of Steven Finn for 59.

Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc both dug their heels in as they tried to boost Australia's advantage, but they were eventually dismissed for 11 and 58 respectively as England cleared up the Aussie tail.


Starc was the first to go when he was sent back to the pavilion by Moeen Ali, while Hazlewood followed seven overs later as Ben Stokes struck.


Alastair Cook and Adam Lyth then negotiated two overs before the break to keep England in a commanding position.