England win third Test against Australia, lead Ashes 2-1

Birmingham: England beat Australia by eight wickets to win the third Test at Edgbaston on Friday with more than two days to spare as they took a 2-1 lead in the five-match Ashes series.

England, set a target of 121 to win, finished on 124 for two after lunch on the third day.

Ian Bell was 65 not out on his Warwickshire home ground and Joe Root 38 not out.

This victory represented a remarkable turnaround from England´s 405-run defeat in the second Test at Lord´s, which followed their 169-run win in the first Test in Cardiff.

England put themselves in command when, after Australia captain Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bat, they made the most of seam-friendly conditions to dismiss the tourists for just 136, with James Anderson taking an Ashes-best six for 47.

In reply, England made 281 -- a first-innings lead of 145.
Australia´s second innings 265 all out then saw recalled England fast bowler Steven Finn, playing his first match at this level in two years, take a Test-best six for 79.

However, that innings also saw Anderson, England´s all-time leading Test wicket-taker suffer a side injury that ruled him out of both the remainder of this match and next week´s fourth Test at Nottingham´s Trent Bridge ground. (AFP)