The BBC's Paul Newman reports from Melbourne on the fourth Test

Australia, who were comfortable at one point at 130 for three, collapsed dramatically and were all out for 162 - 13 runs short of the required total.

The vital wicket to go was 11th man Glenn McGrath, who fell leg before wicket for a duck after coming on to partner Steve Waugh, who finished on 30 not out.

Alec Stewart: "To win this was a big effort"

Chasing a modest target of 175 to win, having dismissed England for 244, Australia had been poised to extend their series lead to 3-0.

Inspired bowling

But Dean Headley produced the most inspired bowling performance of his short Test career to finish off the hosts.

Pat Murphy describes the dramatic finale as England win the fourth Test

The Kent fast bowler was brought into the attack at the MCG with Australia apparently cruising to a victory which would have wrapped up the series and left England battling to avoid a complete whitewash in the final Test in Sydney starting on 2 January.

Headley grabbed four wicket for four runs in 13 balls and finished with figures of six for 60.

Australia had been given an early scare when they began their innings by losing openers Michael Slater and Mark Taylor inside the opening 11 overs while Mark Waugh was dropped by Graeme Hick at second slip off the first delivery he faced.

Great catch

Hick made amends when he took a superb diving catch at second slip to dismiss Waugh off Headley.

At that stage Australia needed just 45 runs to win and had lost only three wickets.

Cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew: "It shows what England can do if they really believe in themselves"

But Headley tore into them in the next over and Darren Lehmann edged a yorker behind to wicketkeeper Warren Hegg.

Australian confidence sagged when Ian Healy, one of their most trusted batsmen, edged another Healey delivery to Hegg again.

Two balls later Damien Fleming was given out lbw having already survived a similar appeal.

Extra half hour

Dean Headley dismisses Mark Waugh

England had to wait another eight overs before Headley claimed his sixth wicket of the innings.

It came just five balls after England decided to take the extra half hour allowed in the regulations if one of the captains and the umpires agree a result can be obtained in that period.

Steve Waugh had guided debutant Matt Nicholson, 24, through for 41 minutes and their partnership of 21 runs looked to have stabilised the innings.

But Headley found the edge again and Hegg took another magnificent catch.

Darren Gough then took over by bowling Stuart MacGill in the next over.

Darren Gough "The pressure got to them"

Moments later it was the Yorkshireman again who clinched victory when he caught the nervous McGrath lbw to spark wild celebrations from the tourists.

Scorecard

Australia Second Innings

M J Slater lbw b Headley 18
M A Taylor c Headley b Mullally 19
J L Langer c Ramprakash b Mullally 30
M E Waugh c Hick b Headley 43
S R Waugh not out 30
D S Lehmann c Hegg b Headley 4
I A Healy c Hick b Headley 0
D W Fleming lbw b Headley 0
M J Nicholson c Hegg b Headley 9
S C G MacGill b Gough 0
G D McGrath lbw b Gough 0
Extras b4 lb1 nb4 9
Total (46.4 overs) 162

Fall: 1-31 2-41 3-103 4-130 5-140 6-140 7-140 8-161 9-162

England Second Innings

M A Atherton b Fleming 0
A J Stewart c Slater b MacGill 52
M A Butcher c Slater b MacGill 14
D W Headley b McGrath 1
N Hussain c Slater b Nicholson 50
M R Ramprakash b Nicholson 14
G A Hick b Fleming 60
W K Hegg c MacGill b Nicholson 9
D Gough c Slater b MacGill 4
A R C Fraser not out 7
A D Mullally c & b McGrath 16
Extras b2 lb4 nb11 17
Total (80.2 overs) 244

Fall: 1-5 2-61 3-66 4-78 5-127 6-178 7-202 8-221 9-221