How the 2015 Ashes were won and lost

Leading run-makers of the series include England's Joe Root (460) and Australia's Steven Smith (508)

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Australia's innings and 46-run victory in the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval on Sunday set the seal on a topsy-turvy series which England won 3-2.

Below AFP Sport looks at the story of an extraordinary Ashes campaign:

July 08-11, 1st Test, Cardiff

England won by 169 runs

"We have shown we can compete with Australia," said England captain Alastair Cook after the win. PHOTO: AFP

Joe Root, in with England struggling at 43 for three, is dropped on nought by Australia wicket-keeper Brad Haddin and goes on to make 134 in a first-innings total of 430.

Root also makes a valuable 60 in the second innings as England leave Australia with a stiff chase of 412 for victory.

It proved beyond the tourists, with Stuart Broad and Moeen Ali sharing six wickets between them as England win with more than a day to spare.

July 16-19, 2nd Test, Lord's

Australia won by 405 runs

Chris Rogers and Steven Smith kept Australia ticking, England v Australia, 2nd Investec Ashes Test, Lord's, 1st day, July 16, 2015. PHOTO: AFP

Another four-day finish sees Australia utterly dominant, with Steven Smith (215) and Chris Rogers (173) both making their Test-best scores in a huge first-innings total of 566 for eight declared.

England's alleged plan to prepare lifeless pitches in a bid to negate Australia's quicks proves futile as they are dismissed for 312 in reply.

Worse follows when, having been set a mammoth 509 for victory, England are skittled out for just 103 in 37 overs as left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson lets rip.

July 29-31, 3rd Test, Edgbaston

England won by 8 wickets

England's Joe Root and Ian Bell celebrate after adding the winning runs for England on the third day of the third Ashes cricket test match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England, on July 31, 2015. PHOTO: AFP

After two four-day Tests comes a match that is all over inside three. Australia captain Michael Clarke opts to bat first on a classic seaming pitch in overcast conditions, despite England's second-innings collapse at Lord's, and sees his side shot out for 136 as James Anderson, wicketless in the second Test, takes an Ashes-best six for 47.

The tourists fare better in their second innings but recalled fast bowler Steven Finn grabs a Test-best six for 79 before Ian Bell, on his Warwickshire home ground, leads England to a modest target of 121 with his second fifty of the match.

Aug 06-08, 4th Test, Trent Bridge

England won by an innings and 78 runs

England bowler Stuart Broad (2L) celebrates taking the wicket of Australia captain Michael Clarke on the first day of the fourth Ashes cricket test match between England and Australia at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, England on August 6, 2015. PHOTO: AFP

Stuart Broad takes a staggering eight for 15, including his 300th Test wicket with the third ball of the match, as Australia are dismissed for just 60 in 18.3 overs -- the shortest completed first innings in Test history -- despite Anderson being out with a side injury, after England captain Alastair Cook wins the toss in overcast, but not 'unplayable' conditions.

England pile up 391 for nine declared in reply with Root (130) scoring his second hundred of the series.

All-rounder Ben Stokes (six for 36) then becomes the fourth England bowler in as many innings to take six wickets before Durham team-mate Mark Wood has Nathan Lyon playing on in the final act of England's second successive win inside three days.

Aug 20-23, 5th Test, The Oval

Australia won by an innings and 46 runs

The Australian team celebrate the wicket of England s Mark Wood after an appeal during play on fourth day of the fifth Ashes cricket test match between England and Australia at The Oval cricket ground in London, on August 23, 2015. PHOTO: AFP

Despite being sent into bat in overcast conditions again, Australia make 481 with Steven Smith top-scoring with 143.

England fold to 149 all out in reply and Clarke, in his final Test before retirement, enforces the follow-on for the first time as Australia captain.

Cook makes a gutsy 85 but not enough of his team-mates can follow his example and recalled paceman Peter Siddle, oddly left out of the four previous Tests, ends the match on the fourth day by having Moeen Ali caught behind for impressive innings figure of four for 35.

Ashes 2015 by the numbers:

Leading run-makers

England - Joe Root (460)

Australia - Steven Smith (508)

Leading wicket-takers

England - Stuart Broad (21)

Australia - Mitchell Starc (18)

Best batting performance

England: Joe Root (134, Cardiff)

Australia: Steven Smith (215, Lord's)

Best bowling

England: Stuart Broad (8-15, Trent Bridge)

Australia: Mitchell Starc (6-111, Trent Bridge)