The match was evenly poised on the first morning of day one, but then brilliant batting by a young Mark Taylor and a coming of age by Steve Waugh who both scored centuries, took the Australians over 600 who confidently declared, and set the tone for the rest of the series.
Whilst the Englishmen may have been delighted to see the back of centurion Taylor, they would later regret the arrival of his replacement Steve Waugh, who throughout the remainder of the second day played an astonishing array of strokes all around the wicket, exemplified by his signature square cut, and simply tore the English bowling to pieces.
Geoff Lawson had English captain David Gower caught behind for 26 in the final session bringing South African born Robin Smith to the crease.
Newport went for a well made 36, caught hooking by Boon off Lawson, and Phillip DeFreitas lasted just 6 balls before being undone by the fourth straight one Terry Alderman, also out LBW.
England felt they probably still had a chance of victory if they could pick up quick wickets, and set up a low final day run chase, but would otherwise be looking for the draw.
Although not quite as rapid, Border's 60 not out off 76 was still quite pacey, and the captain clearly had a plan in mind when he soon declared the Australian innings closed at 230 for 3, leaving England an unlikely 401 for victory off two sessions.
They again piled on runs, quickly passing the English score by the middle of day three, with Steve Waugh's brilliant 152 not out leading them eventually to 528, despite excellent bowling by John Emburey, who claimed 4 for 88.
A first innings lead of 242 placed great pressure on the English batsmen, but their combined experience counted when it was required, and their captain David Gower led the fight-back with a well made 106.
Kim Barnett was on the receiving end of some intimidating bowling from Merv Hughes, and the tactic paid off when Boon caught him at bat pad trying to fend a short ball away.
Hughes dismissal in the morning session left Australia 331 for 7, and England should have knocked over the last few wickets, but their inability to clean up the Australian tail cost them dearly.
They remained for close to two hours, add 37 to England's overnight score, but finally succumbed when Hughes bowled a short pitched delivery to Dilley, who could only fend the ball into the waiting hands of David Boon.
Terry Alderman was once again the pick of Australia's bowlers with 6 for 128, his career best innings figures and taking his tally for series so far to 19 in the first two tests, a remarkable 9 of which were LBW dismissals.
Gloomy weather threatened the third test before it even began, and rain and bad light eventually cost over ten hours of lost play during the match.
The players did emerge briefly, and in a rare glimmer of brightness for the England team, a young Angus Fraser on debut, had Steve Waugh finally dismissed for the first time in the series, bowled for 43.
Alderman finally trapped Jarivs LBW with what was fast becoming his trademark of the series, the inswinging yorker, but England had struggled to 242, which although a disappointing score, had dragged out their innings long enough to avoid the follow-on and not leave the Australians with enough time for victory.
The Australians began their second innings with the prospect of facing 65 overs, but without any real hope of victory, and seemed set to use the batting practice as part of the psychological battle.
Wicket-Keeper Ian Healy was the surprise replacement, elevated up the order for batting practice, and he and Boon saw out the rest of the day, putting on 49 to leave Australia at 158 for 2 at stumps, and the match ending in a draw.
A dogged not out century to wicket-keeper Jack Russell had delayed the inevitable, but when David Boon swept Nick Cook towards the square leg fence in the 32nd over of Australia's innings, the tourists passed the required mark and gained victory by 9 wickets, regaining the Ashes which England had held since 1985.
Waugh, with only two bowlers remaining to bat with, seemed hurried to try to reach his century, and after having played masterfully throughout the day, began to rush things, which was to be his undoing.
All seemed lost for England until a defiant Jack Russell, ably supported by spinner John Emburey set about first blunting, and then when the opportunity arose, attacking the Australian bowlers.
Boon swept Nick Cook to the square leg boundary for four to bring up the winning runs, and Australia had regained the Ashes by taking an unassailable 3–0 lead with only two tests remaining to be played.
Dean Jones added a rapid 22, but was out caught by Gower off Angus Fraser, and the one highlight of the Australian innings for England came next when the in-form Steve Waugh was out for a duck.
Smith soon crept over the line to make a well made century, but he was out 1 run later for 101, caught behind by Healy off Alderman, giving the West Australian yet another 5 wicket haul, his fifth of the series so far.
First Fraser with 29, then an injured Ian Botham batting down the order with 11, and finally number 11 Devon Malcolm who along with fellow bowler Cook saw England survive to stumps, finishing the day on 246 for 9.
England made two more changes, the introduction of debutants Alan Igglesden and John Stephenson, but the picks seemed more likely to have come from the chance to expose them to the top level rather than hope that they might prove competitive against a clearly superior Australian side.
Boon likewise approached his half-century, but soon lost his partner Taylor, who rarely edged a ball outside off-stump of the bowling of Igglesden to be caught behind, and give the bowler his first ever test wicket.
Jones was finally removed for 122, and Steve Waugh, who seemed to have gone off the boil slightly following his blistering first three tests, went for a disappointing 14, clean bowled by Igglesden.
Rain interrupted temporarily, but play soon resumed, and the South London crowd was then treated with a blistering display of low-order hitting from Queensland-born keeper Ian Healy, who battered 44 off 44 balls.
Enough play was left to force England to face an awkward few overs, and the Australians made the most of it, dislodging Graham Gooch LBW to Alderman for a third ball duck.
Gower managed to push on from his overnight 43 to reach 76, and 27 from Derek Pringle, 31 to Nick Cook, and a well made 59 to number 9 Gladstone Small got England to 285, and avoid the follow-on.