England’s 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.
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.
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.
If England can still draw the series 2-2, why have Australia retained the Ashes?
To sum it up in a word: tradition. 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. When it comes to the format’s oldest rivalry the holders must be beaten outright to lose their bragging rights. Australia’s last trip to England ended with similar questions, as the tourists celebrated a 2-2 scoreline while England reflected on unfinished business. Captain Ben Stokes was given the chance to question the custom after the match, but waved it away without a second thought.
Is there any way England could have forced a win in this Test?
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. 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. England finished with a first-innings lead of 275, but did not have enough time in the field to convert that into victory. 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. Ultimately, their push was ruined by the rain, with 30 overs out of a scheduled 180 over the weekend. 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.
How can cricket stop important matches ending like this?
Assuming 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. 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. More realistic is a push to improve over-rates. Financial sanctions have proved a hollow threat. More proactive umpiring, fewer stoppages and run penalties could all be looked at, while others suggest eating into the lunch and tea breaks. The resistance to pulling start times forward from 11am to make up for lost time remains baffling.
What’s on the line at the Oval this week?
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. They snapped a long losing streak with a shared series four years ago and will be desperate to go one better now. 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. 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.
Why does it feel like the end of an era?
Because it is. Several of the key protagonists are well into the autumn of their careers and face uncertain futures. The next battle is not until the winter of 2025/26 and there are a host of veterans for whom that seems a long way. England’s record wicket-taker James Anderson turns 41 at the end of the month, Moeen Ali is sure to return to Test retirement in the coming days, while Stuart Broad (37), Chris Woakes (34) and Mark Wood (33) have plenty of miles on the clock. As for Stokes, his body is creaking and the toll his injury problems are taking is not yet clear. For Australia, David Warner has already set his own timetable for departure while it would be a surprise to see Steve Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon on these shores again in 2027. The Oval Test could be the last dance for these teams.
CWI President congratulates St. Lucia Kings on historic maiden Republic Bank CPL title
Cricket West Indies President Dr. Kishore Shallow has extended congratulations to the Saint Lucia Kings for their remarkable achievement in securing their inaugural Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title.
In a thrilling final at the National Stadium in Providence, Guyana on Sunday, the Kings defeated the Guyana Amazon Warriors by six wickets to claim their first-ever title at the third attempt.
“The Saint Lucia Kings have etched their names in history, and I commend their performance throughout the tournament which was an exhibition of relentless hard work and unmatched determination,” Dr. Shallow said in his commendation.
“With Aaron Jones and Roston Chase playing crucial innings at a decisive moment and Faf Du Plessis’ outstanding leadership, the Kings demonstrated the resilience and skill needed to succeed. This victory also reflects the tireless efforts of Head Coach Daren Sammy, whose knowledge and belief in the team have shaped their journey to this moment,” he added.
President Shallow further extended congratulations to Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and the people of Saint Lucia, who are in the midst of a period of remarkable national pride.
“This victory comes at an exciting time for Saint Lucia, which recently celebrated the homecoming of their Olympic gold medalist and the fastest woman in the world, Julien Alfred. Prime Minister Pierre and his nation have much to celebrate, and Saint Lucia’s sporting achievements are a source of pride for the entire Caribbean.”
The CWI President noted the impact of the emerging players in the tournament and highlighted the wealth of talent the Caribbean continues to produce.
“This edition of CPL stands out with the remarkable impact of the West Indies emerging stars. It has been a historic year with a record number of appearances by Emerging Players. With over 50 appearances and some impressive performances, the talent pool in the Caribbean remains exciting and surely augurs well for the future of West Indies cricket.”
Saint Lucia Kings featured former West Indies Under 19 captain Ackeem Auguste. Other impressive emerging players in the 2024 Republic Bank CPL were Shaqkere Parris for Trinbago Knight Riders and Jewel Andrew for Antigua and Barbuda Falcons who has just been selected for the West Indies Men's ODI team to tour Sri Lanka.
Cricket West Indies remains committed to the partnership with the Caribbean Premier League which continues to play a pivotal role in the advancement of regional cricket.
Mainoo one of three England players to pull out of Nations League squad
England have been dealt a triple injury blow before their Nations League matches, with Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Gibbs-White and Ezri Konsa pulling out of the squad.
Earlier on Monday, the Three Lions were boosted by the confirmation that Harry Kane's injury against Eintracht Frankfurt was not serious, and he would be able to play a part in the October fixtures.
However, the trio did not arrive with the rest of the squad at St. George's Park, and Lee Carsley is not expected to call up any replacements.
Mainoo made his international debut earlier this year and has made 10 appearances for England, with one of those caps coming under Carsley against Ireland, but a knee injury that forced him off for Manchester United against Aston Villa will keep him out.
Konsa was also forced off in the second half of that match, having suffered a hamstring injury in the 0-0 draw.
Gibbs-White, who was handed his senior England debut by the manager last month, also sustained his issue on Sunday, in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea. At under-21 level, the midfielder made 15 appearances under Carsley, with only six players featuring more under him.
England host Greece at Wembley on Thursday before travelling to Helsinki to face Finland on Sunday.
Ireland salvage pride to avoid clean sweep against South Africa
Ireland avoided being on the wrong end of a series sweep with a stunning 69-run victory over South Africa in their final ODI.
South Africa won the series 2-1 but finished with a whimper as they struggled to get on the front foot against the attack-minded Irish on Monday.
Captain Paul Stirling spurred Ireland on their way to victory with his knock of 88, including 11 boundaries, before Harry Tector's enterprising 60 gave them a bigger edge.
Andrew Balbirnie (45), Curtis Campher (34) and Lorcan Tucker (26) also strengthened their grip on the encounter before Lizaad Williams found his footing for South Africa.
He finished with 4-56 after an impressive show in the death overs, which was their only positive in the field, as he helped stop Ireland at 284-9. However, the Proteas had given themselves a mountain to climb that only grew as they lost three early wickets.
Graham Hume (3-29) was the standout for Ireland, but Mark Adair (2-54) and Craig Young (3-40) also played their part, even as Jason Smith's 91 gave South Africa some hope.
Kyle Verreynne (38) and Tristan Stubbs (20) had helped steady the ship before that, but after Smith's stand was cut short, a late collapse ensured South Africa would fall short in the chase on 215 with 29 balls remaining.
Data Debrief: Ireland finish on a high
Ireland pulled off a shock win in the second and final match in their T20I series against the Proteas last month, and once again ensured they would leave Abu Dhabi in high spirits.
Stirling and Balbirnie combined for their first 100-run partnership in an ODI, helping Ireland to their first-ever win over South Africa in the format.
Smith can leave with his head held high though - having been taken for a duck in his first ODI, he made a vast improvement with his 91 on Monday, getting nine fours and four sixes.
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