Australia completed a 4-1 Ashes series victory with a five-wicket win in the fifth and final cricket Test on Thursday. The Australians bowled England out for 342 on the fifth morning of the series finale and were chasing 160 for victory.

Tension grew with a succession of wickets and a contentious DRS review before Alex Carey hit the winning runs to guide the Australians to 161 for five in 31 overs. Carey was unbeaten on 16, Cameron Green was batting at 22 and 39-year-old Usman Khawaja was sent into retirement with a victory.

The Australians retained the Ashes with wins in the first three Tests, but England was determined to narrow the margin after their drought-breaking win in the Boxing Day match at Melbourne.

The 39-year-old veteran walked to the crease after Steve Smith was bowled by Will Jacks and Australia were 92-3. He was given a guard of honour by the England players lining his way to the pitch, shook hands with Stokes and then gave teammate Marnus Labuschagne a hug.

He got off the mark with a paddled reverse sweep to the boundary and edged another ball between the wicketkeeper and Stokes at first slip for another 2.

Labuschagne had a chance on 20 when he slashed at a short ball from Tongue and was dropped by Bethell. Labuschagne took 16 off the next over, bowled by Jacks to get the chase down to 41.

That’s when Khawaja was out — his last innings lasting seven deliveries and netting six runs — when he dragged a delivery from Josh Tongue onto his stumps. He kneeled and kissed the turf in front of a “Thankyou Uzzy” sign that was painted onto the field, and walked back to the pavilion for the last time after 88 Test matches.

Labuschagne was then run out for 37 off 40 balls when he drove to mid-off and took off for a single, only to get sent back by Carey. At that stage, Australia were 121-5 and tension was building until Carey and Green guided the hosts home.

England resumed on Day 5 at 302-8, a lead of 119 runs, and were bowled out for 342, a 159-run lead with two and a half sessions remaining.

Mitchell Starc dismissed Jacob Bethell for 154 and Tongue (6) to finish off the England innings and the series with 31 wickets at an average of 19.9. The haul of wickets and some important runs earned him the player of the series honours.

The Australians started their second innings quickly, scoring 10 in the first over, including a pair of boundaries from Travis Head, who has scored three centuries in the series.  Head was caught in the deep for 29 and finished with 629 runs from five Tests. After getting a major reprieve on a contentious DRS decision on 16, Jake Weatherald misjudged a short ball from Tongue and his top edge was caught out for 34.

Also read: England end 15-year Ashes jinx with MCG Test win