The Ashes 2023: Australia hold on after the rain to ensure the fourth Test ends in a draw

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Written by Stefan Schimmelt, the lead writer for cricket at Emirates Old Trafford

44 minutes ago

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Fourth LV = Ashes Insurance Test, Emirates Old Trafford (Day 5 of the 5th):

Australia 317 (Labuschagne 51, Marsh 51; Woakes 5-62) and 214-5 (Labuschagne 111; Wood 3-27)

England 592 (Crowley 189, Bairstow 99*; Hazelwood 5-126)

The match is drawn, Australia lead the group 2-1 and retain the Ashes

England’s hopes of an Ashes return came to an abrupt end as rain left the Fourth Test as a draw and ensured Australia retained the Trap.

On a very frustrating and disappointing fifth day at Old Trafford, continued bad weather prevented him from bowling a single ball.

There was a short hiatus that allowed the start time to be set at 13:00 GMT, only for the rain to return.

This meant that England did not get a chance to press for the last five wickets they needed to force victory. Australia stayed on 214-5 going into their second innings, 61 runs behind the hosts.

Leading 2-1 with just one game to play, defending champions Australia will at least hold on to the Ashes they’ve owned since 2017-18 and will now look to complete a first UK victory in 22 years.

For an England team playing such an exciting style of cricket under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCollum, the first Ashes victory since 2015 is long in coming.

After losing the first two Tests, they were trying to become the first England team to come from 2-0 down to win the Ashes series, but it was too much to ask.

The result also extends England’s winless run in Ashes Tests at Old Trafford dating back to 1981, with the next Ashes Test here not scheduled until 2031.

The final test for the series begins at The Oval on Thursday.

The weather beat England

In a series that delivered exciting, exciting conclusions to each of the first three tests, this was a massive climactic showdown.

The so far one-sided contest – the hosts have been responsible for this test from the first morning – ended in a draw shaped by the elements. This is the first draw in 17 Tests since Stokes and McCollum took charge of the England team.

However, the favorable prospect of a series decider at The Oval faded away and England shot at the historic feat of coming back from 2-0 down to win the Ashes.

Knowing that bad weather at the weekend was always the most likely, Stokes’s team were brilliant in this match, starting the run from the moment the captain won his fourth straight shot.

They were excellent in reducing Australia to 317, accumulated impressive 592 and had victory in sight on Friday evening, when the tourists closed on 113-4. Since then, only 30 have been thrown.

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Despite the grim outlook, waiting fans still turned up at Old Trafford on Sunday mornings as the essential staff worked to clear the pitch from the night’s torrential rain.

Not long after the delay was announced at the start, it started to rain again. Some of the England players showed up to play football, but in the end they had to concede defeat and go back to the dressing room soaking wet.

While it is true to say that England were beaten here by the weather, it is also appropriate to reflect on the mistakes that saw them trailing 2-0.

England were the better side across the series, but paid a heavy price for missed chances in the First Test at Edgbaston and a first innings batting performance in the Second Test at Lord’s.

They took the momentum from victory in the Third Test at Headingley to an impressive display here and must now extricate themselves from that disappointment to protect their long unbeaten record in the Home Ashes series.

England may need to update their bowling attack for The Oval. Chris Woakes has a quad problem and Stuart Broad has played all five Tests this summer. Ollie Robinson and Josh Tong will be among the favorites to attend.

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Australia can celebrate keeping the Ashes, but they will know the weather has given them a big help.

They omitted Todd Murphy in this Test in favor of bagging their own batting and they paid a dividend in the end.

The tourists are also indebted to Marnus Labouchan, who made a vital century in the second innings to keep England at bay, particularly in the short run of play that was possible on Saturday.

Labuschagne is one of the few Australian batsmen to improve across the series. David Warner’s struggles continue in England, while the returns of Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head and Alex Carey dwindle.

But perhaps the visitors’ biggest concern was the way they collapsed in the face of England’s harrowing attack on the second afternoon at Old Trafford. The three front line bowlers went for a total of 392 runs from a combined 75 overs, while captain Pat Cummins seemed devoid of energy, ideas and authority.

However, Australia will leave this country with the Ashes and World Test Championship won by beating India in the final at The Oval in June.

After a drawn-out series here in 2019, Australia’s stated aim this time around has always been to beat the Ashes outright, rather than just keep them.

Avoiding defeat at The Oval will cause them to do just that.

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