![]() A 3-1 loss would be a poor reflection on their efforts over recent weeks, so there is some work to do to deliver a more fitting result. For England, there is a chance to keep up an undefeated streak under the Stokes-McCullum leadership regime and frustrate their rivals in the process. They snapped a long losing streak with a shared series four years ago and will be desperate to go one better now. The last Australia side to win in England did so back in 2001, meaning the current class has a chance to do something a generation of their compatriots could not. What's on the line at the Oval this week? The resistance to pulling start times forward from 11am to make up for lost time remains baffling. ![]() ![]() More proactive umpiring, fewer stoppages and run penalties could all be looked at, while others suggest eating into the lunch and tea breaks. Financial sanctions have proved a hollow threat. More realistic is a push to improve over-rates. Tours are getting shorter and more congested and the cost of booking holding venues and staff for an extra day that will rarely be used would be prohibitive, especially outside England. How can cricket stop important matches ending like this?Īssuming the holy grail of cricket grounds with a roof remains an expensive pipe dream, what else is there to do? The World Test Championship final has been granted a reserve day since the International Cricket Council brought it in but the idea of rolling that idea out more broadly look fanciful in the extreme. By scoring their runs at almost 5.5 an over and picking 15 wickets, England can hardly be accused of being ponderous with the time they had. Ultimately, their push was ruined by the rain, with 30 overs out of a scheduled 180 over the weekend. An earlier withdrawal would certainly have given them more time to collect 10 wickets, but a slimmer advantage means they would have probably needed to bat again. ![]() Rather than calling his side in shortly after lunch on day three, he allowed Jonny Bairstow to continue flogging Australia's bowlers in the afternoon session as he finished on 99 not out.Įngland finished with a first-innings lead of 275, but did not have enough time in the field to convert that into victory. Having been criticised for declaring too early on the first day of the series at Edgbaston, Stokes now finds himself scrutinised for doing the direct opposite in the fourth Test. Is there any way England could have forced a win in this Test? Australia's last trip to England ended with similar questions, as the tourists celebrated a 2-2 scoreline while England reflected on unfinished business.Ĭaptain Ben Stokes was given the chance to question the custom after the match, but waved it away without a second thought. When it comes to the format's oldest rivalry the holders must be beaten outright to lose their bragging rights. ![]() While England fans know all too well about one-day cricket's tie-breakers - having needed a super over and a boundary countback to pip New Zealand to the 2019 World Cup - Test cricket has no problem with the draw. If England can still draw the series 2-2, why have Australia retained the Ashes? The first draw of the 'Bazball' era guarantees the tourists will hold on to the urn, leading 2-1 with one more game to go at the Kia Oval, and here the PA news agency looks at some of the key questions coming out of the frustrating finish. The fifth and final day of the fourth Test was abandoned without a ball being bowled, leaving a dominant home side unable to pick up the hunt for the last five Australian wickets. England suffered Ashes agony at Emirates Old Trafford, as their hopes of taking a memorable series to a winner-takes-all decider fell foul of the weather. ![]()
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