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Australia has retained the Ashes after persistent Manchester rain compelled the ultimate day of the fourth Ashes Take a look at to be deserted.
Beneath stress to attempt to save the sport, Australia had been poised to renew on 5-214 with 61 runs nonetheless wanted to make England bat once more.
However as a substitute it was capable of watch the rain fall all through the day, permitting the vacationers to retain a 2-1 lead within the sequence with another match to play.
There had been a short hope of play after lunch on Sunday (native time), however moments after the umpires permitted a 1pm begin, the rain returned.
And from that time it by no means let up, earlier than umpires and the 2 groups agreed to name off the match at 5.23pm.
Australia’s effort to retain the Ashes marks the fourth straight sequence it’ll have them in its retaining, after profitable them again from England in 2017-18.
However the attract Manchester marks an extremely anti-climactic method for Australia to retain the urn, after a sequence of excessive drama and shut matches.
“Clearly not one of the best circumstances,” captain Pat Cummins mentioned.
“2019 felt a bit of bit completely different [when Australia retained the Ashes at Manchester]. It was a climax late on day 5.
“This feels a bit of completely different. It’s not been our greatest week, so rain in all probability helped us on the market.”
England already felt aggrieved by its controversial 43-run loss to Australia at Lord’s earlier this month, livid when Jonny Bairstow was stumped within the run chase.
The primary Take a look at at Edgbaston was additionally received by Australia in thrilling circumstances, after Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins placed on a match-winning 55-run ninth-wicket partnership.
England hit again to make the ledger 2-1 with a three-wicket win at Headingley a fortnight in the past, and this Previous Trafford Take a look at has been the primary lopsided match of the sequence.
After England dominated the opening three days of the competition by having Australia all out for 317 and hitting 592 in reply, solely 30 overs have been attainable throughout the ultimate two days.
“To play the cricket we performed over the primary three days in a recreation we needed to win, it’s clearly disappointing to stroll away right here and never go to The Oval 2-2,” captain Ben Stokes mentioned.
Australia, although, can take credit score for resisting England for the 2 hours of play on a rain-affected and shortened Saturday, with Marnus Labuschagne the one man out on day 4 for 111.
Mitch Marsh additionally soaked up 107 balls for his 31, proving his price after retaining his spot within the group following a run-a-ball century at Headingley a fortnight in the past.
With the urn now secure of their retaining, the Australians stay determined to win the sequence in Thursday’s fifth Take a look at at The Oval.
Cummins has lengthy maintained his facet has no real interest in solely drawing the sequence, as they eye off being the primary Australian males’s group to win an Ashes sequence in England since 2001.
That need is partly pushed by the actual fact Australia walked away with an empty feeling from England 4 years in the past, when it retained the urn with a 2-2 sequence draw.
“No matter occurred in the present day doesn’t actually change the best way we have a look at subsequent week,” Cummins mentioned.
“We’re right here to win, we need to try to do one thing an Aussie group hasn’t completed for 20-odd years.
“It’s a giant motivator for our group. Nobody in our group has completed it earlier than as a participant.”
Aussie ladies washed out in Irish downpour
Australia’s ladies’s one-day match towards Eire has additionally been deserted, with out a ball being bowled, after heavy rain lashed Dublin.
No play was attainable in any respect at Clontarf within the Irish capital on Sunday. The match was referred to as early within the afternoon when it turned clear the match couldn’t start.
Australia and Eire will play two additional one-day internationals, with the ultimate two video games on Tuesday and Friday.
The ODI sequence is the primary between Australia and Eire since 2005. Nonetheless, Eire did shock Australia in a T20 World Cup warm-up match earlier this yr.
The matches shall be Australia’s first because it retained the multiformat Ashes with 8-8 factors attract unconvincing circumstances final week.
Sunday’s washout got here after Australia referred to as Tess Flintoff into her first nationwide squad as soon as Heather Graham was dominated out of the sequence with a calf tear.
-AAP