Cricket-Australia complete Ashes whitewash

SYDNEY, Jan 5 (Reuters) Australia thrashed England by 10 wickets to win the fifth test with a day and a half to spare today and complete their first Ashes series whitewash in 86 years.

Matthew Hayden hit the winning run 12 minutes before lunch on the fourth day at the Sydney Cricket Ground as Australia cruised to their victory target of 46 in 10.5 overs to send the retiring trio of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer out on a winning note.

Langer was unbeaten on 20 at the close with his long-time opening partner Hayden on 23.

England, who started the fourth day on 114 for five and leading by 12, lost their last five wickets for 33 runs to be all out for 147.

Australian seamer McGrath picked up three of the last five wickets in his final test before retiring to lift his career tally to 563, the most by any fast bowler. World record holder Warne failed to add to his tally of 708.

England's slim hopes of a late fightback disappeared when Kevin Pietersen departed to the third ball of the day when he edged a simple catch off McGrath to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist without adding to his overnight score of 29.

Nightwatchman Monty Panesar was dismissed for his second duck in the match when he was run out by a direct hit from Andrew Symonds.

Wicketkeeper Chris Read hit one boundary but failed to score again before edging Brett Lee into the safe hands of Ricky Ponting at second slip.

McGrath clean bowled Sajid Mahmood for four then finished off the innings when he had James Anderson caught by Mike Hussey at mid-on for five, leaving Steve Harmison stranded on 16.

REUTERS SRS PM0713