Australia retain Ashes as rain washes out play on final day of 4th Test
As luck would have it, a washed-out fifth day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford would deny England – with their attacking, Bazball ways – an opportunity to come back into this year’s Ashes series.Following a complete show of superiority in all departments in the first three days, a defiant 103-run stand between Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh and the rained-out fifth day, meant that the match was drawn, with Australia retaining the Ashes and the series remaining at 2-1.
As it was in the first Test, England’s declaration call will be the big talking point here. The Brendon McCullum-led side firmly claimed they were committed to attacking intent when they declared on the first day in Edgbaston. So questions will be asked of why they batted till late on the third day, all accounts a harsh assessment given a day-and-a-half was effectively washed out.
Instead, it would be Labuschagne’s fighting ton, hitting 111 off 173 balls, on the tricky fourth day, that was England’s unfortunate undoing.
Zak Crawley’s 189 and Jonny Bairstow’s 99, both striking at a rate above 100; Chris Woakes’ belting five-for; Mark Wood’s confounding third-day spell; all out England in a position of dominant control.
With the rain coming in, it was impossible to predict the fourth-day task set out for Labuschagne and Marsh as they walked into the middle on Saturday. The match could be rained out, and Australia could also lose an innings lunch. The only thing that remained for certain is that wickets needed to be maintained, and both batsmen understood the assignment.
Labuschagne’s career and story took off at this stage of the Ashes back in 2019, hitting a half-century as a concussion substitute for Steve Smith and never relinquishing his spot as Australia’s no. 3. His summer, including the WTC final and three Ashes Tests, having been ordinary at best so far, he stood up at a crucial point as great players do.
Playing the situation, Labuschagne weathered England’s Bazball-style intimidating field positions, Stuart Broad’s plethora of short ball, and Wood’s early swing. But even as Stokes turned to the spin of Moeen Ali and Joe Root, Labuschagne’s spin manipulation remained solid. It was a cat-and-mouse chase, neither team knowing what the weekend had in store, and Australia came out on top.
A special Test match, for so many reasons, is cut short the rain.
Stumps have been called. The match is drawn. Onto the Oval. #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/9whkRHqmMT
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 23, 2023
Iconic moments
The door remains open for Australia to win their first Ashes in England since 2001, having retained through a series draw, back in 2019, thanks to Stokes’s fabled heroics in Headingley.
A series draw might be the best England can achieve winning the fifth Test, but it would be a fitting conclusion to one of the most hard-fought and compelling Test series in the recent past of international cricket.
Each contest has been rich enough in narrative, and littered with enough big moments, for an entire series. The Pat Cummins and Nathon Lyon-led rescue act in Edgbaston – mirrored to perfection Mark Wood and Chris Woakes in Headingley. The now infamously heated Lord’s Test, Bairstow’s snoozy runout, raucous MCC ranting, and ‘spirit of the game’ debates, all in tow. Australia’s vintage Test-match excellence may not have been matched, but it was certainly challenged, England’s new-world attacking approach.
A grandstand finish, at the Oval in the fifth Test starting Thursday, awaits.
