THIRD TEST, DAY FIVE, PERTH (close):
Australia 244 & 527-5 dec v England 215 & 350
Australia regained the Ashes in Perth after bowling out England for 350 to win the third Test by 206 runs.
THE DAY'S ACTION (all times local to Perth - GMT+9)
ENGLAND SECOND INNINGS - 350 ALL OUT
"This is a bit of a fairytale, it's gonna be a long time before you wipe the smile off this face. I'm just so proud to be playing for this team. I've had to work hard to get into this team but that's the way it should be."
Mr Cricket, man of the match, the ungetoutable Michael Hussey
"We had the chance in this Test having bowled them out cheaply to get a big score and they didn't let us."
Andrew Flintoff
"Yeah, we've been pretty good in this series, no doubts."
Ricky 'stating-the-obvious' Ponting
"This is the moment we have been waiting for for 18 months since we lost. It makes all the hard work we have done so worth it, all for this moment right here. Australia, you beauty!"
Matthew Hayden
These really are remarkable scenes. Having been used to winning the Ashes every time before 2005, the Australians are making up for their lapse last year by lapping up all the emotion swirling around the Waca Stadium.
The players are draped in flags, hugging each other, saluting the crowd. I'm going to be sick, but that's just hunger pains, not being a bad loser. Oh okay, it's a bit of both. Have some sympathy, I've just written 34,000 words over five nights to have to say 'Australia have regained the Ashes'. I'm bleeding all over the place here and it won't stop until 2009 at the earliest.
"The way Australia have celebrated, it shows a remarkable outpouring of emotion. We knew it already, but it shows just how much they were stung by what happened last year."
Jonathan Agnew on TMS
"Boy did their defeat last year hurt and Ponting was desperate to make sure it didn't happen again. As a batsman he has been absolutely ruthless and as a captain not far behind."
Vic Marks on TMSAUSTRALIA REGAIN THE ASHES
1411: WICKET England 350 all out (Panesar 1)
Pietersen paddles Shane Warne around the corner for a single to leave Monty exposed to the world's finest ever bowler. Monty Panesar sweeps and misses and the ball rattles into his off stump to hand the Ashes back to Australia. 463 days after England's euphoria at The Oval, there is utter dejection on the visitors' balcony. Fair play to Monty and KP, they hang around to congratulate the Aussies on their bruising 206-run win. Warne now has 699 Test match wickets. 1410: Kevin Pietersen and Monty Panesar walk out to bat. Whoever's out first hands the Ashes back to Australia. They are the two England players least deserving of such an horrendous accolade. Australians, I can't promise to be a sporting loser. They had no bacon sarnies left in the BBC canteen, an effort every bit as soul-destroying as Geraint Jones' innings. I'm almost devoid of all life. Here we go...
By the way, guys and girls, I'm not gonna publish any emails having a go at Pietersen for being selfish, for not protecting the tail, for playing for himself blah blah blah. For crying out loud he's scored 70 and 59 not out and fair play to him if he's just about given up now as we all have. Leave it out, he's the one man we need above anyone else to recapture the Ashes in 2009. Is that clear? Good.
"What's almost as hard to digest as the defeat itself is the way that England are going down. This is proving to be a total disgrace. There are a number of players that will have to take a long, hard look at themselves after this series is over."
Scott, via TMS inbox "You can make the phrase 'No Ashes' out of Steve Harmison if you are really bored and depressed. I wish I was Paul."
Someone who wishes they were Paul, via text "It was nice to see Freddie score some runs, he played pretty well, but it wasn't great surprise to see him get out to Warne. This was a big innings for Jones and he's made a pair, they have to drop him for the next game. They must give the kid Read his chance now."
Geoff Boycott on TMS "What a good number 11 this fellow is. He should be the England team's new nightwatchman, he looks to have a much better defence than Matthew Hoggard, that's for sure."
Jim Maxwell on TMS
"Monty maiden Test hundred?"
Steve, via text
LUNCH
1332: England 347-9 Stuart Clark gets four balls at our Monty, who plays him with ease, to tell you the truth. I still love Monty, but he's about the only thing I'm in love with anymore. Except my girlfriend. And I'm only saying that in case she reads this in the morning. Doubtful, to be fair. Love you honey, just in case.
1324: WICKET England 346-9 (Harmison 0)
Pathetic, frankly. Steve Harmison plonks one of his massive feet down the track and totally misses a sweep, though it is perhaps a slightly harsh LBW to Shane Warne with the ball probably going on to miss the stumps on height. One wicket away from winning the Ashes now, are Australia. 1320: WICKET England 345-8 (Mahmood 4)
Not much doubt about that one, as Stuart Clark gets Sajid Mahmood out with an inswinging yorker that beats the Lancastrian all ends up. Having started the day so well, England are now collapsing in devastating and diabolical fashion. Steve Harmison trudges to the crease. As for me, I'll be asleep soon thankfully, dreaming of an England win in 2009 with Monty taking 40 wickets in the series and KP breaking Lara's Test record. 1316: England 340-7 Sajid Mahmood plays well against Warne, grabbing two into the gully area off the back foot and watching the ball carefully as Warne tries to run through the tail to reach 700 Test wickets. England have certainly put on a much better show in this innings, but I feel so numb at Jones's dismissal. I'm sure he does, too.
"Mr Boycott feels for Jones? Read has been treated like garbage because of Fletcher's stupidity. Feel sorry for him."
Kev, via text
"There once was a team under Fred,
Who played without sense in their head,
Without Monty or Ready,
The Aussies got greedy,
And promptly put the series to bed."
James, via TMS inbox
"Paul, what are you thinking? Get back to that blond before it's too late. Depression is most certainly not an aphrodisiac."
Rajat, via TMS inbox "He was trying to hard to get right down the pitch and he's dragged his foot too far. You feel for him, but it's tough is Test cricket. Very tough."
Geoff Boycott on TMS
1306: WICKET England 336-7 (Jones 0)
Surely we've just witnessed the end of Geraint Jones' England career. He misses a sweep shot to Warne and as Rudi Koertzen turns the appeals down, Ricky Ponting throws the ball at the stumps. Foolishly, ludicrously, embarrassingly, Jones holds his stance with his back foot on the line and the TV umpire has no option but to give him out. Unlucky? No chance. Basics, absolute basics. Enjoy the Ashes, Aussies. 1301: England 336-6 McGrath bowls a maiden to the increasingly-watchful Pietersen. Next up, Warne to Jones. Any guesses?
"Think that's it I'm afraid! Unless King Monty can pull something out his magic hat. Jones will get out for less than 10."
Upset at work via text "It looked like Flintoff was just deceived by the flight of the ball. It was a full-toss, but Warne's full-tosses are still doing something, they're not just straight up and down."
Geoff Lawson on TMS
1254: WICKET England 336-6 (Flintoff 51)
I'm so sorry. Andrew Flintoff misses a pretty straight one from Shane Warne and his off stump is knocked out of the ground. It's almost certainly the wicket that will hand back the Ashes to Australia. Flintoff waits for Geraint Jones to walk onto the field to give him words of encouragement. Warne is now on 697 Test wickets. "This is gripping stuff, it's 0548 here in Lithuania and I don't know if I should go to work, go back to the blond in bed or watch the updates. Go for it England."
Paul, via TMS inbox
1250: England 335-5 Flintoff gets away with another shot loaded with risk, cutting McGrath between third slip and gully for four, before reaching his first fifty of the series with a genuine inside edge that somehow misses the furniture and runs away for four. The great fast bowler looks somewhat befuddled. This truly is an extraordinary hand from the under-pressure England captain. 1245: England 327-5 Kevin Pietersen reaches his half century with a sumptuous onside drive for four off Warne, the duo's battle still as intriguing as ever. Great knock from KP so far who has shown great maturity, in everything but his running anyway! 1244: England 323-5 McGrath the champion is right at his best and beats Flintoff all ends up with two great balls outside off stump the England captain has to nod his head at. England have had a fortunate morning so far, they'll need a fortunate afternoon and a fortunate evening too.
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"I don't know if there's a "Third Umpire Of The Year" award, but I've always been a big fan of Steve Davis."
Troy, via TMS inbox
1240: England 323-5 Flintoff twice misses standard Warne leg breaks that pitch outside leg stump and deceive Adam Gilchrist too and seven byes result. Pietersen then, by millimetres, I am not kidding you, survives a run out attempt. I need to change my underwear. He dances out of his crease and Hussey brilliantly dives across from short leg to throw down the stumps. TV umpire Steve Davis (not that one, surely??) takes an absolute age to decide and gives KP the benefit of the doubt. Did my heart just actually stop? Hello?
"You can't go all old-pro-like on Freddie today, he's not the sort of player who can block for a day, I don't think he's ready to play that sort of innings for England so far."
Vic Marks on TMS "Super Kev to knock 150, Freddie to knock 100 and Sir Monty to knock the rest and I'm in dreamland! Come on England."
The boys from Merry Hill, via text1230: England 316-5 McGrath comes back in to the action for the expensive Lee and immediately cuts Pietersen in two with a jaffer that jags back in to the South African-born right-hander. An extravagant leave is followed by drinks. Half of the first session safely negotiated by these two. One sixth of the day done. You know what I mean.
1226: England 315-5 Pietersen is playing Warne with a mixture of pads and soft hands and he looks content to let Freddie go ballistic at the other end while he simply occupies the crease. And to think, some of you have accused him in the past of playing for himself. Really!
"I've just bribed a girl in an internet cafe here in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, to stay open another hour. If they're still there it'll be worth some serious money to stay open even longer."
Neal, via TMS inbox
1222: England 313-5 Lee beats Flintoff's outside edge before a seagull flies across the pitch just as the blond bowler is running in to bowl. And then, I nearly died. Flintoff whips Lee off his pads to deep square leg and it flies inches over Mike Hussey's head for six. I don't know whether to condemn his stupidity or praise his brilliance. You decide.
"I think where Australia went wrong with Flintoff in 2005 is that they sat back, they didn't attack him enough. He got a hundred at Trent Bridge by blocking just about."
Vic Marks on TMS
1216: England 305-5 Pietersen clips Warne off his pads for a single and then Freddie plays the rest of the over in circumspect fashion, guiding the final ball through the covers for one more. I just live in hope we don't have to see the same sort of ludicrous appealing from Warne we had to endure yesterday.
1212: England 303-5 Flintoff plays another risky shot to Lee but the brute force of the big Lancastrian sends it over McGrath at mid-on for another four. He swings and misses from the last ball of the over and the cherry is passed on to Shane Warne, for the first time today.
"I really want Freddie to do well today but the way he's batting I best ring 999 now my heart won't last the night."
Christopher, via TMS inbox1207: England 298-5 Flintoff gives Clark the Lee treatment, cutting him for four before playing the two most perfect cover drives you will ever see for a brace of wonderful boundaries. The Barmy Army then do something I never ever thought would happen - they applaud a Clark dot ball. He doesn't seem too embarrassed though.
1203: England 286-5 Flintoff begins an assault with his old mate Brett Lee bouncing into the attack. He drills Lee over his head for a fortunate four and then skies one safely into the offside for a couple more. He then launches him for four over mid-wicket with a stunning piece of timing and grabs three more with a chop through the covers. 13 off the over and the Barmy Army are singing 'Living on a Prayer'. Great stuff from captain and crowd.
1158: England 273-5 Pietersen is becoming bogged down and he misses another attempted cover-drive off the pinpoint Clark. You've got to feel a bit for these two batters, two of the most explosive hitters in world cricket. With Clark and McGrath on it's like facing Arkwright from both ends.
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1154: England 273-5 Pietersen plays a couple of flashing drives off McGrath but the magnificent Australian fielders ensure he only gets one instead of eight. "They have been exceptional," says Christopher Martin-Jenkins on TMS and it's impossible to disagree.
1150: England 271-5 Stuart Clark bowls another fine over, mostly to Flintoff, it's no great surprise that he's straight on the money already. Freddie looks like he will take as much time as he wants to play himself in. The camera cuts to Duncan Fletcher with England selector David Morgan. Have you boys got some explaining to do.
"My vote goes to Geoff Boycott for coach because I want to see his mum march out at number eight with a stick of rhubarb."
John via TMS inbox
"If West Ham can beat Man Utd then I think England can save this match."
Kathy via text1141: England 269-5 First runs of the day and Pietersen latches on to some width from Clark to lash him to the boundary past point. The Barmy Army trumpeter gets involved in proceedings with "Jerusalem".
"Come on nation, let's get behind them and for god's sake boys, FIND OUT WHERE YOUR OFF STUMP IS!!
Ed, via TMS inbox "There's a lot of focus on Flintoff, especially from people back at home. It's an easy thing to target the captain but I think he's done pretty well in the field."
Jonathan Agnew on TMS1136: England 265-5 Deja vu at the other end as a pearler leaves Flintoff and just escapes the outside edge. Next ball, Freddie plays a woeful stab miles outside his off stump that he shouldn't be going anywhere near. He really doesn't look in great nick to be honest.
1133: England 265-5 Pietersen plays away from his body and is so close to feathering one behind off Stuart Clark. I'm not happy Clark is opening, for the sole reason that he's brilliant. No Warney at the other end just yet, Glenn McGrath will open up.
"Believe."
Adam, via text
1128: Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff walk out on to the Waca turf knowing England's only hope of avoiding defeat in the third Test and handing the Ashes back to Australia is a batting performance the like of which has never been seen before.
Email the BBC Sport website and the TMS team on TMS@bbc.co.uk
"If Geraint Jones gets out to a silly shot then we might never see him again. I know for a fact Fletcher didn't want to drop Jones against Pakistan but he was forced to. Now he can play dictator on a tour he picks Jones again when Read's done nothing wrong."
Geoff Boycott on TMSRainwatch: Gutted. It is overcast and humid in Perth, but early showers have cleared and they are not expected to return to help Flintoff and the boys. If you want to do a raindance so the weather gods look down kindly on England, maybe use this website from last year for inspiration...
"If we can survive or even win today, I invite all other Englishmen working in Sydney to join me in streaking round Circular Quay, with only a downloaded Monty facemask from the BBC Sport website to protect our modesty, and maybe also our identity."
Mark, via TMS inbox
"It could all be over by lunch. But let's think about the fighting spirit of Ian Botham in 1981 before we give in. Geraint Jones now has the most important innings of his career to play. If he fails, there will be enormous calls for Chris Read to permanently replace him."
Ex-England skipper Alec Stewart on BBC One's highlights programme
"I'm going to get you a VIP ticket to the Ashes Welcome Back party at the Fletchers... although apparently you need to have a word with Geraint Jones to get on the guest list."
How do I tell my brother to stop emailing me? If only his 86-day-old son Nathan knew the pain we were suffering. "It was fantastic stuff yesterday, it's just a pity we hadn't really seen that fighting spirit much from England before. Anything can happen with Freddie and Pietersen but the captain's not in good form at all. As for Cook, if he keeps that mentality he'll go all the way."
Former England captain Tony Greig on BBC One's highlights programme
"I'm a little bit disappointed, sure. It wasn't a great end to yesterday, but if Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff bat through the first session who knows. South Africa batted for the last day last year, but we know it's going to be very hard."
England centurion Alastair Cook
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