Ashes PHOTOS: Australia snatch Ashes urn from England despite Stokes's ton

Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Lyon fired in the second session of play to help Australia beat England by a massive 150 runs to win the third Test at the WACA in Perth and claim the Ashes series on Tuesday.

- Scorecard

The hosts, who won the opening Test in Brisbane by 381 runs and the second in Adelaide by 218 runs, brought an end to England's run of three consecutive Ashes series triumphs.

The last time Australia won an #Ashes series was on Jan 5, 2007.

Lyon picked the wicket of centurion Ben Stokes and later grabbed Graeme Swann's wicket to practically end England's fightback on Day 5. 

Earlier, all-rounder Stokes scored England's first century of the series to frustrate Australia's bid for the victory they need to recapture the Ashes on the fifth and final morning.

England reached lunch at 332 for six, still 172 runs short of their unlikely victory target of 504 with Stokes, unbeaten on 117, and Tim Bresnan (seven) at the crease after the loss of just one wicket, Matt Prior for 26, in the opening session.

Left-hander Stokes showed great concentration and no little courage for his maiden Test century to help England to their biggest innings score of the series to date.

England resumed at 251 for five requiring another 253 runs for an extraordinary victory or more likely needing to bat through the final day to save the Test.

The Englishman rode their luck against some aggressive Australian bowling with old ball and new for the first 80 minutes, though, adding 45 runs to the overnight tally.

It was Mitchell Johnson, whose fiery spells of pace bowling had turned the first two Tests, who made the breakthrough when Prior took a swipe at widish delivery and got a nick on it to be caught behind.

Two overs later and Stokes, who had edged his way nervously through the 90s, pulled Johnson to the long-leg for four to reach his hundred, pumping his fist in celebration of an impressive knock.

At lunch, the 22-year-old had scored 18 fours and one six in the 183-ball innings.

Statsman Mohandas Memon tweeted an interesting fact: Stokes at 22years-196days became the  2nd youngest Englishman to score a Test century in the 4th innings after Alastair Cook did it at 21years-357days vs Australia in Perth in Dec 2006.