Sydney heat hits Joe Root as England lose 5th Ashes Test to Australia

England captain Joe Root was taken to hospital with severe dehydration on Monday and did not resume his innings in the afternoon session of the final day of the fifth Ashes Test which Australia won by an innings and 123 runs, thereby completing a 4-0 rout. (Scorecard)

An England spokesman confirmed that the 27-year-old, who was 42 not out at the end of Day 4 as the tourists battled to avoid an innings defeat, had suffered from diarrhoea and vomiting overnight.

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Temperatures at the Sydney Cricket Ground exceeded 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday. England finished Day 4 on 93/4 and needed another 210 to make Australia bat again. The visitors eventually folded up for 180 with Root retired hurt for 58.

Australia have won the Ashes 4-0.

Joe Root returned to the crease on Monday morning after needing hospital treatment for severe dehydration. He came out to bat after Moeen Ali, who replaced him at the start of the day, was out for 13.

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Moeen fell leg before wicket to his off-spin nemesis Nathan Lyon, leaving England 121/5 and battling to avoid a 0-4 series defeat in the final Test.

Root was sent for checks after experiencing diarrhoea and vomiting overnight after batting in extreme heat on Sunday’s fourth day.

He was seen as England’s last major hope of staving off a series rout and resumed batting on his overnight 42.

Batting and fielding as Sydney sweltered through one of its hottest days on record Sunday took its toll, with England Cricket tweeting earlier Monday that Root was “in hospital with severe dehydration”.

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Weather stations near the Sydney Cricket Ground recorded maximum temperatures close to 44 degree Celsius on Sunday.

Earlier, Australia had amassed a massive 303-run innings lead.