Ashes England 1st Test
England players celebrate their win over Australia in the first Test of the AshesReuters

England are doing the running in this Ashes series, after pummelling Australia by 169 runs on Day 4 of the first Test in Cardiff Saturday.

Australia, set a target of 412, were dismissed for 242 in their second innings on the fourth day.

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England's Stuart Broad and Moeen Ali took three wickets and Mark Wood and Joe Root two apiece to bowl England to victory, with Australia collapsing spectacularly.

Set an improbable victory target of 412, Australia collapsed from 97 for one to stagger into Tea on 162-7, before folding for 242 at a raucous Sophia Gardens. No.8 Mitchell Johnson top-scored with 77 for Australia, which said it all.

Broad bowled with accuracy and movement to take 3-39, Moeen 3-59, Wood 2-53 and Root 2-28 as an energised England pushed hard knowing rain forecast for the Welsh capital might come to Australia's aid on the final day on Sunday.

A second-wicket stand of 78 between David Warner (52) and Steve Smith (33) offered Australia hope that they could at least frustrate the hosts, but Warner's dismissal by Moeen as lunch loomed handed the momentum back to England.

A revved-up Broad removed Smith (33) and Michael Clarke (4) and when Wood got in on the act to send back Adam Voges (1), Australia had lost four wickets for nine runs in 36 balls.

Brad Haddin (7) also perished cheaply by slog-sweeping Moeen straight to mid-wicket and Australia were staring down the barrel when Shane Watson (19) was trapped in front by Wood, the 29th time the all-rounder has been out lbw in his Test career.

Then, in the finals session, Root, having impressed so much with the bat, came to the fore with the ball as well, breaking a 72-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Johnson and Starc by picking up the latter.

Root would also send Johnson packing, before the match was finished off by Moeen, with Root, fittingly, taking the catch.