Australia take the Ashes

England lost the Ashes before Christmas with a third successive landslide defeat, despite Ben Stokes’ maiden Test century.

Stokes (120) was the cornerstone of the tourists’ belated defiance on a Perth pitch full of crazy-paving cracks, but they were still bowled out for 353 early on the final afternoon as Australia regained the urn with a 150-run win and unassailable 3-0 lead.