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Live Commentary: The Ashes: Second Test, day five - as it happened

Relive our text coverage of day five of the second Ashes Test between Australia and England in Adelaide.
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Australia wrapped up the second Ashes Test in style on day five to take a 2-0 series lead over England.

The hosts started the day needing four wickets to earn the win and they made a good start as Stuart Broad (29) departed to the bowling of Peter Siddle (4-57) in the first over.

Matt Prior (69) managed to find some form with the bat but he couldn't prevent Australia from wrapping up the innings for 312 in just under an hour on day five.

Read below to find out how the hosts secured a 218-run win in Adelaide.


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Hello everyone. It's been raining in Adelaide today but, unfortunately for England, the covers are off and it's dry again. Australia need four wickets to win this match. How long can the tourists last?

England showed a much better attitude with the bat yesterday as they looked to halt the Australian charge. However, wickets did fall at regular intervals and a victory for the hosts now seems inevitable. Matt Prior and Stuart Broad won't be finished yet, though.

Quite simply, Australia have been superb in Adelaide. There's plenty of problems in the England team which are likely to be addressed sooner, rather than later, but you cannot take anything away from Michael Clarke's team. They look a very determined team under Darren Lehmann.

The weather seems to be on Australia's team, too. There was a lot of rain around the area early in the morning but it seems like we're set for an extended dry spell. Australia will be desperate to get the job done quickly.

The good news for England is that Prior seemed to find some form yesterday. A big score today would put him in a good place for the rest of the series, even if this game is eventually lost. He's such a vital part of this team when playing well.

It's raining again! It looked like play would start on time but it's just starting to drizzle again in Adelaide and the square is being covered. Surely the weather can't rescue England today.

The start of play, due in just over 15 minutes, will surely be delayed now. Judging by the rain radar, England won't be helped by the weather for too long today. It seems like an impossible task, but stranger things have happened in this sport.

Mitchell Johnson will surely hold the key today. The left-arm seamer has been in quite astonishing form at the start of this series and England just haven't had an answer it seems. Johnson's opening spell will be important. If England can survive the first few overs, they might just start believing.

There's a lot of umbrellas being used in Adelaide, which Alastair Cook will be delighted about. What will he be telling his players today?

Australian supporters will be delighted to know that the rain seems to have stopped again. I don't think it will be long until we see some cricket played at the Adelaide Oval.

Andrew Strauss is walking around in the middle as part of his duty as a pundit. I'm sure he never expected his old team to be in this much trouble just over a year after he handed the captaincy to Cook.

Patience is important for the hosts today. It could all be over in under 30 minutes, or Australia may be forced to wait for a bit longer. They're firm favourites and Clarke will be reminding his players that one wicket could bring four.

Play will start at 12.10am (UK time). It appears that the rain has moved on and the umpires have decided there will be just a 10 minute delay. Relief for Australia.

The second new ball is just 10 overs old and in gloomy conditions it might not be easy for Broad and Prior to pick up the early deliveries from Johnson and Ryan Harris.

The first target for England will be to make it to lunch, ideally without losing a wicket. Australia are on the hunt for an early victim. Play just a few moments away.

The players are heading out to the middle now. Clarke has one final words with his players ahead of day five. Prior (31*) and Broad (22*) follow the hosts. Maybe surprisingly, it will be Siddle to open the bowling. Broad on strike. Play!

Broad shuffles across his crease to clip the first ball of the day to fine-leg for a single. Prior gets on top of the bounce well to nudge a run through square-leg. Shot! Why hang around? Broad sits deep in his crease to pull Siddle over the rope for a big six. Stunning shot.

WICKET! BROAD (29) C LYON B SIDDLE

It looks brilliant when you clear the rope, but when Nathan Lyon takes the catch in the deep, it's probably best to hang your head. Broad goes for another boundary but his innings comes to an end in the first over of the day. Graeme Swann in next and he survives the over.

Mitchell Johnson is given the second over of the day. Shot! The end might be near but Prior continues to find some form as he reaches the rope with a punch through the off-side. Johnson goes shorter in the middle of the over and Prior stands tall to pull four more through mid-wicket. Eight runs off the second over. Prior 40* Swann 0

Swann gets off the mark with a push through the covers for two, before sneaking off strike with a quick single. Prior picks the gap well at extra cover to pick up a couple. No success for Siddle on this occasion. Swann vs. Johnson next.

Johnson, receiving plenty of stick from the Barmy Army, waves to his admirers early in the over. Swann gets off strike with a quick run and Prior adds two more by steering the ball through point. Shot! Johnson drops one short but Prior responds superbly to hammer four runs over mid-wicket. Great reply from Johnson to beat the outside edge twice by pushing a couple of balls across the batsman. Prior 48 Swann 4*

Swann finds the middle of the bat with a pull shot but he only manages to claim a single. 50! Prior goes to his half-century from 88 balls by earning four more through mid-wicket. Good innings from him. It might not make a difference in this game, but Prior's knock does come as a relief to the tourists. Six runs scored off the over.

Prior hammers a couple of wider ones from Johnson but he can only pick out Chris Rogers, who does well at point. Shouts for a catch from the slips but Prior's impressive innings goes on with four just wide of the man at third-man. Prior 57 Swann 5*

No surprise to see Siddle settle on a great line to Swann early in the over but the defensive shots are solid from England's number nine. A single hands the strike to Prior, who plays the shot of the day so far to earn four down the ground. Brilliant timing. Prior then rocks back to loft the ball over gully for one. Siddle's spell might be over.

Harris comes into the attack for the first time today and is immediately nudge to mid-wicket by Prior for a single.

WICKET! SWANN (6) C CLARKE B HARRIS

The change of bowling does the trick as Swann plays a lazy shot outside off-stump to offer Clarke an easy catch at second slip. Australia on the brink of a big victory in Adelaide.

James Anderson comes to the crease on a king pair but he gets off the mark by clipping Harris, who has come around the wicket, through fine-leg for one. Shot! Prior will be targeting three figures but he knows he'll have to get a move on as he drills four runs through the off-side. Prior 67 Anderson 1*

Anderson chips the ball wide of Bailey at short-leg for a single. Prior doesn't get all of his cut shot but he still manages to take England past 300 with a couple of runs on the off-side. Haddin takes the ball impressively down the leg-side when Siddle goes short to encourage a wild pull.

WICKET! PRIOR (69) C HARRIS B SIDDLE

Another hook, another wicket. Prior takes on the short ball but he can only pick out Harris, who takes a good catch in the deep. It's been a very good innings but the end is not far away now. Siddle has figures of 4-49. Monty Panesar in next and he ducks the final delivery of the over.

Anderson looks far from comfortable as Harris targets the ribs from around the wicket early in a new over. England's number 10 lunges forward to loft three runs over mid-off. Panesar, who frustrated the Australian bowlers in the first innings, avoids the short ball well late in the over.

Close! Anderson fends off the short ball to just beat the fielder placed at leg-gully and his reward is four runs through fine-leg. Siddle suffers more frustration when Anderson miscues a drive past mid-on for four more. Ouch! The inevitable short delivery follows and Anderson takes a painful blow to the ribs when he misses a pull shot. Anderson 13 Panesar 0*

WICKET! PANESAR (0) C ROGERS B HARRIS

AUSTRALIA WIN BY 218 RUNS! It's all over in Adelaide. Panesar toes a drive to Rogers at short cover to hand Harris another wicket. What a performance from the hosts! England just don't seem to have an answer. Australia lead the series by 2-0 heading to Perth.

It's only taken Australia an hour to find the four wickets they needed for the victory. The damage was done long before day five. Is this series over as a contest after two matches? No team has ever come from 2-0 down to win the urn.

Australia just seem to be a better side at the moment. Can England keep this series alive in Perth next week?

Johnson, Harris, Siddle, Clarke and Haddin. The list of Australia heroes seems to go on and on. Is a series whitewash on the cards? England will tell us different, but they need to dig much deeper in the final three games.

Thanks for joining me for this Test. Australia lead the series 2-0. Can the hosts secure victory next week in Perth? Join me at 1.30am on Friday to find out. Goodbye everyone.

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