MANCHESTER: Australia have successfully retained the Ashes after the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford ended in a draw due to persistent rain on the final day. The result ensures that Australia, as the holders, maintain a 2-1 lead in the series with one match remaining, making them the outright winners regardless of the outcome in the fifth Test at The Oval next week.
The fourth Test was heavily impacted by bad weather, with play being called off on Sunday’s final day due to a sodden outfield caused by heavy overnight rain. The match could not be resumed at the scheduled time of 11:00 am (1000 GMT) and a further downpour during the day led to the match being officially abandoned as a draw at 1624 GMT.
In the limited play that was possible, Australia finished their second innings at 214-5, trailing England’s first-innings total of 592 by 61 runs. Marnus Labuschagne held strong with a brilliant century of 111 runs, frustrating England’s bowlers.
England’s Hopes of Comeback in Series Dashes
England’s hopes of staging a historic comeback in the series were dashed as they were unable to take enough wickets to secure a victory. Australia’s resilience, combined with the weather interruptions, ensured they retained the coveted Ashes urn.
The Test series will now head to The Oval for the fifth and final match, but the result of that match will not affect the overall outcome, as Australia has already done enough to retain the Ashes. England’s bid to win the series from a 2-0 deficit, a feat accomplished only once before in Ashes history by Australia in 1936/37, fell short.
Australia’s triumph marks another chapter in the historic Ashes rivalry between the two cricketing nations, with the next series eagerly anticipated by fans and players alike.
