Ashes 2015: Australia mute England celebrations after heavy fifth Test win

Australia defied rain to dampen England's Ashes celebrations with victory by an innings and 46 runs fifth Test at The Oval. Michael Clarke bowed out of international cricket with a bittersweet win after the tourists took two wickets either side of a two hour 42 minute rain delay.

Peter Siddle continued his rebirth in international cricket with 4 for 35, which included the final two wickets of Stuart Broad (11) and Moeen Ali (35) as England were thumped in the final Test as being presented with the urn following a 3-2 series win. Rain threatened to take the Test into a fifth day for the first time in the series but Australia completed victory after just 105 minutes of play.

With inclement conditions looming in south London, Australia were looking to wrap up a innings victory before their hopes of claiming of consolation win fell into the laps of the weather gods. The dismissal of Alastair Cook two overs from the close on day three meant the tourists required just four wickets to inflict an innings defeat on England and mark Clarke's final Test in winning fashion.

Jos Buttler and Mark Wood pushed England towards closing the deficit to less than 100 but their brief stand was ended inside the first half an hour as Peter Siddle trapped the latter lbw, a decision made on review after umpire Kumar Dharmasena initially gave it not out. Just the third overturned decision of the series gave Australia the critical breakthrough but they continued to face a race against time to complete victory.

Despite the imminent morning rain, Buttler (42) failed to adapt and he was dismissed in soft circumstances as he was caught by Mitchell Johnson at mid-off off Mitchell Marsh. England survived the remainder of the first hour but 42 minutes before lunch the rain eventually came.

The rain forced a delay of two and three quarter hours but the players reappeared amid the brightest conditions of the day. Australia required just two wickets from the remainder of what was expected to be an uninterrupted day.

Siddle produced the first wicket with the dismissal of Broad from the second over after the break. Ali showed some resistance but less than half an hour following the lengthy delay England were bowled out for 286 as Siddle grabbed his fourth wicket of the innings to confirm a handsome win.