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Graeme Swann completed a five-wicket haul and James Anderson took two wickets in two balls as the tourists' took their first Test victory on Australian soil since the 2002-03 tour and a first series lead in Australia since 1986-87.
"It's been a good five days, just from the very first day we hit the ground running," England captain Andrew Strauss said in a televised interview, paying tribute to his bowlers for setting up the victory in the first innings.
"It was a phenomenal effort to bowl them out for 245 in the first innings on a flat wicket and then our batters made hay.
"We're aware that there's still three test matches to go and we can't
get too far ahead of ourselves but if we keep up these standards we're
going to have a good chance of winning the Ashes."
With Clarke, his team's best player of spin, back in the pavilion, the Australians were always going to struggle on a fifth-day pitch providing turn for Swann.
Any hopes of a gritty fight-back to salvage a draw were extinguished quickly when Mike Hussey, who had been the pick of Australia's batsman in the series to date, attempted a rash pull shot off the bowling of England quick Steve Finn.
Anderson took the easiest of catches at mid-on to remove Hussey for 52, then struck with his own bowling, dispensing with Brad Haddin courtesy of an outside edge for 12.
Anderson then trapped Ryan Harris lbw for his second golden duck of the match on the next ball, before being denied a hat-trick when Xavier Doherty fended off a short-pitched delivery.
Swann accounted for the out-of-form Marcus North with a plum lbw but had to call for the TV umpire after his appeal was refused.
The spinner then delivered the coup de grace, clinching a comprehensive victory by bowling both Doherty for five and Peter Siddle for six to leave the Australians on 304.
The final dismissal prompted wild celebrations on the pitch as the players rushed to embrace as England's "Barmy Army" of cricket fans roared with delight.
"It's better this year for the English, I watched it on TV last time and it's nice to reverse fortunes," Swann said, referring to their match at Adelaide four years ago when the English batsmen were skittled for 129 runs in the second innings on the way to defeat.
England suffered a blow before play commenced with the news that paceman Stuart Broad had been ruled out of the rest of the series with a torn abdominal muscle.
"That's a sad, very sad moment for us, you know he's been doing outstanding work for us. We've got good depth in our squad but we're going to have find a way of replacing him," Strauss said.
Australian batsman Simon Katich is also likely out for the series with an Achilles injury, the Australian team said shortly before England wrapped up the victory.
Australia skipper Ricky Ponting, who was dismissed for a golden duck and nine runs in his 150th test match, lamented his batsmen's disastrous start on day one, when they lost three wickets in the first three overs.
"I mean, it's been a tough five days for us really, getting off to that sort of start in a test match. We've always been doing our best to try and fight our way back into the game and England haven't allowed us to do that.
"They've certainly outbatted, outbowled us, and outfielded us in the whole game, it's as simple as that.
"They thoroughly deserve their win, they're playing some great cricket at the moment and we've got to find a way to bounce back and bounce back pretty strong."
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