Woeful England crumble to fourth test defeat

Since Australia's defeat in England last year, Ponting has insisted simply winning the Ashes was not enough. He wanted something special to erase that painful memory.

The pitiful way England performed in the fourth Test suggests they have little chance of denying Australia a 5-0 series victory, completed only once before in Ashes history when Warwick Armstrong's Aussies won the 1920-21 series.

England's woeful tour hit rock-bottom at the MCG as they lost by an innings and 99 runs after being bowled out for 161 in their second innings 15 minutes before the close of play on the third day.

Having ended Andrew Symonds' maiden Test century on 156 early on, England still had to contend with some lusty hitting from Shane Warne (40 not out) before they bowled Australia out for 419, a lead of 260.

Sajid Mahmood took the final two wickets to finish as England's most successful bowler with four for 100 while Chris Read held six catches on his Test return but these were minor consolations for the tourists.

Given the prospect of batting for personal success and team honour in the second innings, England's batsmen achieved neither.

Andrew Strauss, who made 50 in the first innings, was England's top scorer second time around but this time he achieved the distinction with just 31.

At least he showed some determination to stay at the crease, battling for 174 minutes for those runs.

He and Alastair Cook (20) produced their best opening partnership of the series in making 41 but once the breach was made, England caved in like a team ready to accept their fate.

Cook was bowled by Stuart Clark, the best bowler of the series. Ian Bell was out for two to Glenn McGrath.

Kevin Pietersen, promoted to No. 4, took a swish at Clark and was bowled for one and Paul Collingwood scraped together 16 and then hit a catch to short extra cover.

Brett Lee ended Strauss' defiance having him caught behind in the over after tea and Andrew Flintoff's miserable tour continued when he played a casual drive at Clark and was lbw for 25.

Mahmood suffered his second duck of the game to become Warne's first victim of the innings and Harmison was his second to give the leg-spinner 999 international wickets taken in Tests and one day internationals to give him one more milestone to achieve in Sydney before he retires.

Speaking after the match England captain Flintoff stressed the team's determination to come back in the final test.

He said: It's been a tough trip, another tough three days.

"I'm disappointed, upset...the emotions are all negative but we've got one game left. We don't want to leave this country having been beaten 5-0.

"As bad as I feel now, come the game in Sydney we have to go out there and put on a show," he added.