Australia eventually prevailed in the final Test match at Sydney Cricket Ground but the Essex pair of Nasser Hussain and Peter Such did their utmost to keep England in with a chance of victory.

The fourth day of the match, and what was to prove the last of this present Ashes series, began with England needing a further 183 runs to square the series with eight wickets remaining and the day promised much hope for the tourists.

However, wickets fell early and only Hussain remained steadfast, playing a defiant innings of 53, before he became one of spinner Stuart MacGill's seven victims in the innings.

The England vice-captain drove a classic leg-break that pitched on leg stump back to the bowler and his departure to the pavilion heralded England's capitulation.

No other England batsman exceeded 17 on the day as MacGill took his match haul to 12 dismissals.

That England found themselves in a possible winning position owed much to the wiles of Essex off-spinner Such who bowled magnificently during the Australians second innings.

Such returned figures of five for 81, using flight and sharp turn, epitomised by the fact that two of his victims were caught in the bat pad position and two at mid-wicket.

Only two Australians moved beyond single figures in this innings and one of those, Michael Slater scored 123 out of his side's 184 all out.

Yet he looked to have been run out with his score on 35, although controversially, the third umpire ruled otherwise.

It has been a superb series for Hussain and England captain Alec Stewart was quick to single him out for praise saying: "He has been one of a number of positive factors to emerge from the series. He has been outstanding all tour''.

The new Essex captain finished this Test series with a batting average of 45.22, having scored 407 runs in 10 innings.

Meanwhile, Such has surely done much to re-establish himself as England's leading off spinner after four years in the Test wilderness, having taken 11 wickets for 323 runs in his only two matches in the series, to finish with an average of 29.36.

Such showed both commendable control in his bowling and displayed the ability to exploit favourable conditions when offered.

England's gain may be to the cost of Essex next summer.

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