Australia retain the Ashes as rain ends England hopes of Oval decider
Ben Stokes’s aspect got here into the match trailing 2-1 within the sequence and needing to win to arrange a Fifth Test decider on the Oval subsequent week.
England had been nicely on prime after three days of play however all the time cautious {that a} grim weekend climate forecast may take the sport’s future out of their arms.
Two classes had been washed out on Saturday, earlier than torrential rain all through Sunday noticed play deserted with out a ball being bowled.
England had been 5 wickets from victory, with Australia needing one other 61 runs simply to drive the house aspect to bat once more, however with the downpour unrelenting and enormous puddles forming on the outfield, arms had been shaken on the draw at 5pm.
Australia’s 2-1 lead signifies that, as holders, they may retain the urn even when England are to stage the sequence to 2-2 with victory on the Oval subsequent week.
The vacationers, nevertheless, nonetheless have the motivation of making an attempt to win a sequence on English soil for the primary time since 2001, with the 2019 Ashes having additionally completed in a 2-2 draw after England gained the Fifth Test on the Oval.