England cruise home in third Ashes Test

Ian Bell guided England to a convincing eight-wicket success over Australia as the hosts made light work of chasing down 121 in the third Ashes Test to take a 2-1 series lead.

It was an impressive response from England, who were thumped by 405 runs at Lord's, although their day was tempered slightly by the news that James Anderson will miss the fourth Test at Trent Bridge due to a side strain.

As the match continued at break-neck pace, Peter Nevill and Mitchell Starc frayed English nerves slightly by advancing Australia's lead rapidly in the morning session on day three.

Both men went on to pass 50, before England wrapped up Australia's second innings for 265 prior to lunch, leaving themselves a modest target for victory.

England lost Alastair Cook and Adam Lyth cheaply before Bell - dropped on 20 by Michael Clarke -  compiled a fluent 65 not out and saw his team home alongside Joe Root (38 not out) to thrill a raucous Edgbaston crowd.

The two sides now head to Nottingham where England will have to contend without spearhead Anderson as they aim to seal a 3-1 lead and the series, while Australia bid to keep their hopes of retaining the urn alive.

Resuming 23 ahead, but with seven second-innings wickets down, in glorious conditions in Birmingham, Nevill and Starc extended the tourists' advantage until the former departed for a gritty 59.

The wicketkeeper had a lucky escape when he was given not out after gloving Stuart Broad (1-61) down the leg side, but he was not so fortunate soon afterwards as he glanced a Steven Finn (6-79) delivery in the same direction and Jos Buttler took a superb catch.

After Starc (58) brought up his own half-century, Ben Stokes (1-28) had Josh Hazlewood brilliantly held at third slip by Root for 11, before Moeen Ali (1-64) wrapped things up by dismissing Starc.

Cook (7) and Lyth (12) made it through two overs before the interval, but the England captain was cleaned up by a beauty from Starc (1-33) soon after the break.

Bell played aggressively from the outset, crashing three boundaries in four balls from Starc before Clarke shelled a chance at slip in the same over.

Lyth was pinned lbw by Hazlewood (1-21) as the left-hander's struggles continued, but Bell continued in customary stylish fashion, bringing up his fifty by guiding Starc through third man for four.

It was left to Root to score the winning runs, glancing Mitchell Marsh for four as England won the third Test of an Ashes series for the first time since 1981.