ANDY BADDELEY helped England claim an emphatic victory over Australia in the inaugural athletics Ashes in Newcastle.

The Wirral-born middle distance runner won the men’s mile in four minutes two seconds.

Baddeley produced a storming run down the home straight to overcome the challenge of fellow GB international Mo Farah and Aussie Collis Birmingham.

Australia won the men’s discus early on through Scott Martin.

Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu and Marlon Devonish both set British best times in the women’s and men’s 150m respectively as England won 10-1.

Liverpool Harriers’ quartet of Mark Keeley, Colin Potts, John McCole and Craig Gundersen finished second overall in the senior men’s section of the North West Road Relays at Blackpool.

The Harriers enjoyed a one-two in the women’s competition with the B team trio of Catherine Draper, Jenny Clague and Maria Barrett beating Chantal Quarless, Michelle Murphy and Laura Murphy.

The Northern Athletics Road Relay Championships take place in Leeds this weekend.

St Helens Sutton’s Dennis Wharton completed the Great North Run in 1:27.36 to finish seventh in the V50 class.

Clubmate Jim Crehan clocked 1:34.52, while St Helens Striders’ Danny Fegen was just ahead in 1:34.00.

Liverpool Harriers’ Neil Chester completed the race in 1:31.00.

Michael Bomba won the senior hammer event in the Liverpool Throws and Jumps Meetings at Wavertree with a best of 58.96m.