Realistically, there was only one result possible in the game after Australia were skittled for 60 in 18.3 overs on day one, Stuart Broad recording unprecedented figures of 8-15.
The tourists showed a bit more ticker after their ignominious day-one debacle, the fastest first innings in Test history.
However, Australia still needed a handful of reprieves to avoid their first two-day Test loss since 1890.
David Warner was dropped twice on Friday, while Chris Rogers and Peter Nevill were recalled after video replays revealed no-balls.
Bad light also helped push the game to a third day.
The shambolic defeat, which follows a similarly one-sided game at Edgbaston last week, will have major ramifications.
Already, Clarke has seemingly fallen on his sword after vowing to fight on three days earlier.
Clarke is but one of many batsmen to be exposed in a handful of woeful collapses that shaped the series.
Much had been made of the topsy-turvy nature of the much-hyped contest.
The reality is Australia's 405-run win in the second Test at Lord's, in which Steve Smith scored his maiden double-century, was the anomaly.
Brutal bursts of seam and swing bowling from Broad, Jimmy Anderson and Steve Finn exposed the batting order in Cardiff, Birmingham and Nottingham.
AUSTRALIA'S ASHES COLLAPSES:
* 1st Test, Cardiff: 5-25, 6-50
* 3rd Test, Edgbaston: 5-60, 4-30
* 4th Test, Trent Bridge: 7-29, 4-23
-AAP
