England have lost their eighth successive Ashes series after they conceded an innings and 48 runs defeat on the third day of the third Test at the WACA. The remaining batsman Alec Stewart was left unbeaten on 66 as England tumbled to 222 all out and they now enter the Christmas and New Year Tests in Melbourne and Sydney playing only to prevent the humiliation of being only the second England team ever to suffer an Ashes whitewash.
England remained hopeful of avoiding an innings defeat after resuming 238 runs adrift of 33 for one. England captain Nasser Hussain frustrated Australia's attack for nearly four hours in progressing to 61 after his side had slipped to 34 for four but as the tourists entered the final session of the third day, Shane Warne made his first real impact on England's innings by dismissing Hussain to a disputed catch behind given by umpire Rudi Koertzen which TV pictures found inconclusive.
Craig White followed eight overs later and Alex Tudor was then forced to retire hurt after being struck above the eye by a Brett Lee delivery. When Jason Gillespie clean-bowled Stephen Harmison for four, Chris Silverwood's injury meant England had no one left to partner Stewart at the crease and they were forced to cede defeat.
Hussain was so frustrated at his own dismissal that he took his anger out on a pair of crutches on his return to the pavilion. Afterwards, he admitted to Sky Sports that injuries had taken their toll on the tourists but he would take nothing away from Australia's impressive performance.
"We let everyone down, we were embarrassingly poor. We've not performed really and we have just been left beaten, battered and bruised by this. We have been carrying a lot of injuries but we were just not good enough. We need to regroup, there are some new lads coming out for the one-dayers. That doesn't take away from the fact that we will be up against this side again in the final two Tests," he explained.
"You can look at the way we played but also it's the pressure the opposition are putting us under. They are playing the game incredibly well, they are playing out of their skins. Australia didn't allow any free runs and that's what Test cricket is all about," he added.
He also refuted claims that he would quit as captain. ""One thing I'm not going to do is walk away from this team in their present bruised and battered state and give it to some young lad and say 'here you take them out there'," Hussain said. "It would be good for Nasser Hussain, I'd just concentrate on my batting and it would be the easiest thing for me to do, but I will not take that option against that lot."
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
