England completed its 18-month transformation from national embarrassment to Ashes winners on Saturday, taking 40 minutes to wrap up a series-clinching victory over Australia in the fourth test that ushered in the international retirement of Michael Clarke.
When Nathan Lyon chopped a delivery from Mark Wood onto the stumps to end Australia's misery at Trent Bridge, England's jubilant players gathered in a huddle near the crease and jumped up and down in celebration at regaining the urn.
A victory by an innings and 78 runs moved England into an insurmountable 3-1 lead with one test remaining, a scarcely believable scenario considering the Australians came into the series as big favourites. England had also been scarred by a 5-0 defeat Down Under 18 months ago, which sparked soul-searching and a regime change in English cricket.
"I didn't think we were quite ready to win the Ashes at the beginning," said an emotional Alastair Cook, who survived as England captain throughout the upheaval. "But the guys have surprised me."
The English have won five of the last seven Ashes series, and the last four at home — an indication of just how tough they are to beat in English conditions when the ball swings and batsman's technique is tested.
England won with two days and more than two sessions to spare in Nottingham, mirroring the eight-wicket win in the third test at Edgbaston.
"It's not for want of trying," Clarke said, "but the boys have been beaten by a better side."
With minutes of the result, Clarke announced he will be retiring from test cricket after the fifth test at The Oval to end a 12-year international career. Clarke, who has scored only 117 runs in eight innings this series, will hang up his baggy green having never won an Ashes series in England.
England changed coaches — twice — and refreshed its team in the wake of the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash, bidding farewell to senior stars Graeme Swann, Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior. New officials also came in at the top of English cricket, leaving Cook as one of the few survivors in the shake-up.
Cook has also changed, though, becoming a more attacking, experimental captain and he has led a young side out of the "dark times" to a famous series win. Cook is only the third person to captain England to two home series wins in the Ashes, after WG Grace and Mike Brearly.
It was fitting that he left it to two of his younger players to polish off Australia at Trent Bridge.
The tourists resumed Saturday on 241-7 and it took 22 balls for Ben Stokes to get a nick off Mitchell Starc (0), with Ian Bell taking the catch at second slip. Stokes finished with career-best figures of 6-36.
At the other end, Wood — playing in his fifth test — knocked out the middle stump of Josh Hazlewood (0) and was kept on by Cook despite Stuart Broad limbering up nearby, hoping for an opportunity to complete a 10-wicket haul after getting 8-15 in the first innings.
On the 64th ball of Day 3, Wood skipped in and Lyon played on. Trent Bridge erupted.
"Someone told us to watch the Ashes from behind the sofa," Cook said with a smile.
"From where we've been as a side over the last 18 months, we've stuck to what we believe was the right thing to do. The way the lads stepped up has been unbelievable."
The fourth test has been forgettable for the Australians since the first morning, when they were skittled for 60 in 18.3 overs for the shortest first innings in test history. Then there was the ignominy of England declaring its first innings on 391-9, before a top-order collapse from 113-0 to 136-4 in the second innings.
Australia's last series win in England was in 2001 and its batsmen have been incapable of dealing with a swinging ball.
England's players must wait until The Oval to get their hands on the little urn.
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