An enthralling Ashes will come to its conclusion at the Kia Oval on Monday with Stuart Broad and England eager to fashion a “fairy-tale finish” to square the series.
Sunday’s washout following only 39.5 overs means the latest instalment of the England versus Australia rivalry has gone to the wire with plenty on the line.
Australia are 135 without loss in pursuit of 384 to win a series in England for the first time since 2001, but the hosts are desperate to claim a victory that would earn them a share of the spoils at 2-2 despite urn returning Down Under.
Throw in Broad’s retirement in addition to this arguably being the end of an era for several members on each XI and it sets up the prospect of a fitting finale to an Ashes series that has left its mark on a generation.
View from the dressing room
England may prefer for Australia not to get their target down to single figures but Broad will be dreaming of a leading character role. Australia need 249 more runs to pull off victory and claim a 3-1 series win, but their pursuit of 384 would represent the second highest Test chase in this country. It is geared up to be another thriller.
Symbolic send-off
Broad lapped up the benefits of making his retirement plans public on Saturday night when he walked out to bat for one final time on day four.
A sold-out Kia Oval crowed greeted his emergence from the pavilion with a standing ovation before old rivals Australia gave the veteran a guard of honour.
Alongside Broad was his friend James Anderson with the duo arm in arm before the latter told his fellow his new ball partner to soak up the special moment alone.
Stand and deliver
After the testimonial vibes of Broad’s standing ovation and guard of honour, a bizarre opening passage occurred from Mitchell Starc’s opening over with singles turned down during the first five balls.
It was quickly forgotten when Starc’s final delivery was short and Broad latched onto it with a swashbuckling pull for six over square leg.
Anderson was trapped lbw by Todd Murphy in the next over, which meant Broad’s maximum was the final ball he faced in cricket. Some way to go.
Little birthday joy for Jimmy
While Broad would have hoped for a wicket on what could have been his swansong, Anderson may have also envisaged a different 41st birthday.
The elder statesman of the England team was serenaded by the Kia Oval crowd with happy birthday and his children made a poster for their dad which was picked up by the TV cameras, but he was out lbw after five balls.
Anderson then again ran in hard and produced his normal pace, but he and the rest of the bowling attack were blunted by Australia’s openers and worryingly barely an opportunity was created in 38 overs. Captain Ben Stokes knows that must change early on Monday.
Khawaja kicks Creepy off top spot
No two batters have better highlighted the culture clash between the teams than Usman Khawaja and Zak Crawley, who will end the series as numbers one and two in the run-scoring charts.
Crawley’s classy 73 on day three took his overall tally to 480 runs and left Khawaja with a 57-run target to pip him to the top spot, which he managed in stoic fashion on Sunday and the Australian opener walked off unbeaten on 69.
While Khawaja is seven runs shy of the 500-mark, the eye-catching difference between the duo is the number of balls faced. Crawley needed 541 deliveries to score his tally at a strike rate of 88.72. In contrast Khawaja has taken 1,248 balls with a strike rate of 39.50 to demonstrate the different methods adopted by the teams this summer.
Broad’s Ashes?
Broad has already confirmed he will retire but he is not the only player set to bring their Ashes career to an end on Monday.
Warner will bow out in January and is 32 runs shy of signing off here with a first hundred in England while Moeen Ali signalled earlier this summer he would go back into red-ball retirement.
The next Ashes is more than two years away and it looks a tall order for 41-year-old Anderson to feature while Mark Wood, 33, may even struggle and doubts have to be cast over Stokes given his ongoing knee concerns.
Australia’s XI includes several players over 30, with Steve Smith (34), Khawaja (36), Josh Hazlewood (32) and Mitchell Starc (33) unlikely to grace these shores again.
It all contributes to the end-of-an-era feel surrounding day five but with 20 wickets in this series and this ground the scene of his first big Ashes moment in 2009, you would not bet against Broad producing a fairy-tale finish.
Cricket West Indies to review playing conditions after Super50 Cup Final ends in double forfeit
The 2024 CG United Super50 Cup ended in unprecedented fashion on Saturday, as both finalists, Jamaica Scorpions and Barbados Pride, forfeited the final after their captains failed to attend the scheduled coin toss. As a result, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has declared that there will be no champion for this year’s tournament.
The anticlimactic conclusion followed what had been an exciting and competitive tournament, leaving organizers, fans, and players stunned. The forfeiture occurred after a heavily rain-affected day at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, where persistent showers delayed the start of play.
Despite the delays, match officials confirmed that the game could proceed as a 20-over-a-side contest if play commenced by 6:17 PM. Both teams were informed that the toss would be held at 6:00 PM to facilitate the adjusted start time. However, neither captain appeared for the toss, leading to both teams failing to take the field and the final being ruled a double forfeit.
In a statement, CWI announced plans to review the tournament regulations following the unprecedented events. According to the playing conditions, if no play was possible due to rain, both teams would have been declared co-champions. However, as conditions were deemed playable, the failure of both teams to take the field resulted in the forfeiture.
“These unanticipated events highlight the need for a thorough review of the playing conditions to prevent a recurrence of such situations,” CWI said. “Further consultation with stakeholders will determine the necessary adjustments to the regulations.”
The conclusion marred what had been a tournament filled with memorable moments and outstanding performances. Barbados Pride secured their spot in the final with a commanding 153-run victory over defending champions Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, while Jamaica Scorpions cruised past the Leeward Islands Hurricanes with a 107-run win in their semifinal.
The round-robin phase produced several thrilling matches, including Barbados Pride’s nail-biting one-wicket win over Guyana, thanks to debutant Demetrius Richards’ unbeaten 65, and their eight-run victory over the Windward Volcanoes, with captain Kyle Mayers starring in a dramatic final over.
Individual brilliance was on full display throughout the tournament. Justin Greaves of the Leeward Islands Hurricanes made history as the first West Indian to score three consecutive List A centuries, with scores of 111*, 112, and 151*. Meanwhile, standout bowling performances from Rahkeem Cornwall (6/20), Khary Pierre (4/8), and Yannic Cariah underscored the importance of spin in Caribbean conditions. Emerging batting talent also shone, with Carlos Brown’s maiden List A century (121) and Matthew Nandu’s 116 highlighting the depth of future West Indian stars.
The forfeiture also impacted the tournament’s financial outcomes. The champions were set to receive US$100,000, while the runners-up were to earn US$50,000. Both semi-finalists will receive US$25,000 each.
CWI is expected to release additional information after completing its review, as the cricketing community reflects on an unforgettable—but ultimately disappointing—conclusion to the region’s premier 50-over competition.
Rutherford’s stunning century in vain as 'Spice Man' steals the show for UP Nawabs
Sherfane Rutherford's blistering century was not enough to prevent the Northern Warriors from falling to a nine-wicket defeat against UP Nawabs in the Abu Dhabi T10 on Sunday.
Coming off a personally successful run with the West Indies, Rutherford smashed an unbeaten 103 off just 40 balls, featuring seven fours and three towering sixes, as he single-handedly powered the Warriors to a challenging 142-4 in their 10 overs. Brandon King was the only other batter to reach double figures, contributing 16. Despite Rutherford's heroics, the Warriors’ total proved insufficient, as Tymal Mills spearheaded the Nawabs’ bowling with figures of 2-18. Odean Smith struggled with the ball, conceding 45 runs for his solitary wicket.
In reply, UP Nawabs made light work of the target, propelled by a flying start from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who blasted 44 off 23 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes. His measured aggression set the foundation for the chase before Andre Fletcher took over with an explosive unbeaten 75 off just 27 balls. Fletcher’s innings included four fours and seven sixes, ensuring the Nawabs reached the target with five balls to spare.
The win lifted UP Nawabs to fourth place in the 10-team table with four points, while the Northern Warriors remain in fifth on two points following the loss. Fletcher’s match-winning knock earned him the Player of the Match award.
Despite the loss, Rutherford’s century will be remembered as one of the standout performances of the tournament, showcasing his incredible power and skill even in a losing cause.
Townsend sure Scotland have more to show after superb win over Australia
Gregor Townsend insists Scotland can still play better despite ending their 2024 calendar on the high of an impressive 27-13 win over Australia at Murrayfield.
Finn Russell surpassed 400 Test points after scoring one of four Scotland tries and kicking seven points in a game where Scotland led by 21 points at one stage.
Head coach Townsend was delighted to send supporters home happy but was not happy with all aspects of his side's performance on Sunday.
"If you catch me in 10 minutes I'll be in a better mood. There was more in us. We weren't as accurate in the first half," he told BBC Sport.
"It shows we can get a win when we're not playing as well. There were moments in the game that I loved. We saw what it meant to our supporters to get a win against a quality team.
"We're better than some of the aspects today, but I'm proud that the players found a way to win.
"I'm inwardly happy, but if there was a game next week it would be a tough review and there would be a lot of things to improve."
Captain Sione Tuipulotu crossed in the first half for Scotland, who led 7-3 at the break after Noah Lolesio's had put Australia in front.
The hosts took command after the break with Duhan van der Merwe, Josh Bayliss and Russell going over in the second half.
Wing wizard Harry Potter scored on his Australia debut to add some credit to the scoreline for the visitors and Scotland showed great defensive resolve after that to ensure no more points were conceded.
Skipper Tuipulotu collected the Hopetoun Cup in front of his grandmother and said: "It was an amazing moment. When she handed over the cup she said 'you got 'em!'
"I'm super happy and it makes the day all worthwhile, when we win like that. We won playing our rugby, we scored some brilliant tries. We know how dangerous our back three is but it was a group effort today and that's what I'm most pleased about."
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