How the Ashes were won: Match by match

First Test, Cardiff: Match drawn

*Day One England win the toss and wobble at 97-3 at lunch. But Pietersen and Collingwood combine to rebuild the innings. Pietersen hits 69 – before playing a daft sweep – to top score and Flintoff and Prior both make half-centuries but fall late on to Siddle. England 336-7. Winner: Australia

*Day two Graeme Swan hits an impressive 47 not out during the morning to help England finish with a respectable first innings score of 435. Australia make a cracking start, reaching 249-1 by close, with centuries for both Ponting and Katich. Winner : Australia

*Day three Rain interrupts play but Ponting reaches 150 off just 221 balls before chopping on to Panesar. Anderson has Katich (122) lbw but Australia continue to build a formidable total reaching 479-5 at close. Winner: Australia

*Day four Australia declare on 674-6 after Haddin and North both make tons (left), Haddin's at a good pace. England then lose two quick wickets with Cook and Bopara falling before rain comes to save England. Winner: Australia

*Day five England lose regular wickets including Pietersen early and look destined to go one behind. However, a defiant knock from Collingwood and a heroic last-wicket stand between Anderson and Panesar, who see out the final 69 balls, save the home team. Winner: England

Second Test, Lord's: England win by 115 runs

*Day One Johnson's erratic bowling allows Cook and Strauss to get off to a flier. Cook makes 95 and Strauss leads by example with an unbeaten 161 from 268 balls by close of the first day. England's middle order falls away though as Bopara fails again. England close on 364-6 Winner: England

*Day two Australia finish off England by taking their remaining four wickets for 61 before lunch. However, England surprise everyone by tearing through the Australian batting order leaving them on 156-8. Anderson takes four wickets for 55. Winner: England

*Day three Hauritz and Siddle hit out but England take control of the Test by finishing off Australia for just 215. Strauss opts not to enforce follow-on. Openers fall, Pietersen and Bopara dig in before Prior (61) and Collingwood (54) open their shoulders to take England to 311-6. Winner: England

*Day four England declare in the morning leaving Australia needing 522 to win the Test. Hughes and Katich make only 17 and 6 respectively but Michael Clarke digs in to finish the day on 125 not out. Winner: Australia

*Day five England finish the job by bowling Australia out before lunch for 406. Flintoff stars with three more wickets during a hostile spell to finish with 5-92 and a place on the board. Winner: England

Third Test, Edgbaston: Match drawn

*Day One Rain delays the match until after lunch. Australia make a good start, reaching 126-1 at close with Watson 62*. Winner: Australia

*Day two Anderson and Onions produce superb swing bowling to knock over the Aussies for 263 (including Ponting's controversial dismissal caught at slip). In reply England reach 116-2, with Strauss not out 64. Winner: England

*Day three No play due to rain

*Day four England take lead with Flintoff hitting a rapid 74 and Broad 55 as they reach 376 all out. Australia finish the day two down with Ponting beautifully bowled through the gate by Swann's spin. Winner: England

*Day five Australia bat out the day, thanks to unbeaten century from Clarke and 96 from North, to earn a draw. Winner: Australia

Fourth Test, Headingley: Australia win by an innings and 80 runs

*Day One On a dramatic first morning England, without Flintoff and with Prior struggling with back spasms that strike just before play starts, crumble to 72-6 at lunch and are all out for 102 shortly after with Siddle taking 5-21. Loose, short and wide bowling allows Australia to get off to a flier as Ponting makes 78 before falling lbw but Australia reach 196-4 at close. Winner: Australia

*Day two Australia amass 445 with North making an impressive ton, to leave England 343 adrift. Broad takes a flattering 6 wickets for 91. England then lose five quick wickets for 20 runs, including the struggling Bopara for a golden duck, for 82 to end the day in dire trouble and staring at a humiliating defeat. Hilfenhaus and a rejuvenated Johnson are the main cause of England's discomfort. Winner: Australia

*Day three Despite some late smashing from Broad and Swann, who score 61 and 62 respectively and share in a stand of 163, Australia condemn England to an embarrassing innings defeat during the afternoon session with just under half the Test still to play. Johnson takes 5-69. Winner: Australia

Fifth Test, The Oval: England win by 197 runs

*Day One With the series level at 1-1 the teams head to The Oval for the decider. Andrew Strauss won the toss and chose to bat. The home side make a decent start, ending on 307/8 at the close of play. Under-fire Ian Bell is the pick of the batsmen with 72, while Strauss (55), debutant Trott (41) and Broad (37) also chip in with good innings. Siddle took four of the eight wickets to keep the Aussie in with a shout. Winner: England

*Day two England end their first innings with 332. Australia reply with a good start, scoring 72 without loss. However, Ponting's team do their best to replicate England's Headingley collapse, falling from 73-0 to 160 all out, Stuart Broad the pick with 5-37as the momentum swings behind the home side. Winner: England

*Day three Strauss finally declares on 373/9, an invaluable 63 from just 55 balls from Graeme Swann helping England set the Aussies a world record 551 to hold onto the urn. Trott continues his impressive debut, scoring 119 from 193 balls. Winner: England

*Day four Though Australia bat well, England storm the final session of the series at a baking Oval in front of a baying crowd. The final five wickets fall for just 21 runs, Swann taking 4-120 with Michael Hussey the last man to fall as England win the match, and series, in style. Winner: England