England thrash Australia by 8 wickets to 2-1 Ashes lead

Risingbd Desk: Ian Bell smashed an unbeaten fifty as England beat Australia by eight wickets to ensure a 2-1 series lead in the five-match Ashes series.

England, set a modest victory target of 121, finished on 124 for two after lunch on Friday`s third day at Edgbaston.

Bell was 65 not out and Joe Root, who struck the winning boundary off Mitchell Marsh, 38 not out.

He was, however, given a reprieve on 20 when, with England 35 for one, he edged Starc to second slip only for Australia captain Michael Clarke to drop the two-handed catch.

It summed up a miserable match for Clarke, whose run of low scores in Tests continued with innings of 10 and three at Edgbaston.

England opener Adam Lyth has also been struggling with the bat and when he was lbw to Josh Hazlewood`s inswinger for 12, it meant the hosts were now 51 for two.

Root, Lyth`s Yorkshire team-mate, showed few signs of nerves, however, in cutting his first ball, from Hazlewood, for four.
Australia resumed Friday on 168 for seven, 23 runs ahead and the two not out batsmen overnight, Peter Nevill and Starc, both went on to make fifties and shared an eighth-wicket stand of 64 that boosted Australia`s second innings total to 265 all out.

England fast bowler Steven Finn, recalled for his first Test in two years following an injury to Mark Wood, led the attack with his best figures at this level of six for 79.

Nevill`s leg-glanced boundary off Finn saw him to a maiden Test fifty, in only his second match, in 126 balls with six fours.

Having survived one appeal for a catch down the legside on 53 by opposing wicket-keeper Jos Buttler, Nevill eventually fell in similar fashion when the diving England gloveman held a stunning one-handed chance, high to his left, off Finn.

Starc`s straight six off spinner Moeen Ali saw him to an 83-ball fifty, including six fours.

The fourth Test of the series will be held at Nottingham on August 6-10.

Agencies

risingbd/DHAKA/Aug 1, 2015/Augustin Sujan