Britannia rule. The Ashes are England's.

England has regained cricket's most famous trophy at The Oval through a drawn fifth and final Test, and has broken a 18-year streak of suffering at the hands of the old enemy.

However the match finished in anti-climatic circumstances, as Australia was 0-4 in its second innings when bad light forced the players off the ground.

They did not return, and the crowd was told the match was over by the public announcer before umpires Rudi Koertzen and Billy Bowden theatrically removed the bails from the stumps.

But England fans got their chance to honour their heroes when Michael Vaughan led his team onto the field for the presentations.

Australia was set an impossible 342 to win, off 18 overs, after England was all out for 335 in its second innings.

The hero for England was cricket's brash young thing, Kevin Pietersen, whose blond mohawk finished drenched with sweat after a magnificent match-saving 158.

It's doubtful Test cricket has ever produced a more important maiden century, as Pietersen was the rock that stood between his side holding on and Australia pushing for victory.

He arrived at the crease with his side at a treacherous 3-67 and with almost an entire day's play remaining, but left as the leading run-scorer this series and with his side in an unbeatable position, 314 runs in front.

Kennington's old ground - where the Ashes were born 123 years ago - erupted when it was announced England had achieved its greatest sporting triumph since the 1966 soccer World Cup.

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