A thrilling Ashes summer comes to an end at the Kia Oval this week, with Australia’s 2-1 lead ensuring they will be bringing the urn home with them.
England have plenty to play for too, shooting for a draw that would maintain an undefeated record in the ‘Bazball’ era and spoil their rivals’ celebrations.
Here, the PA news agency looks at five key talking points.
Changing of the guardWhile there are no confirmed retirements on the cards, this game looks like the end of an Ashes era. Both teams are packed with thirty-somethings, several of whom are unlikely to pass this way again. Moeen Ali came out of retirement to answer an SOS but is almost certain to step away again, James Anderson turns 41 during the match and may finally be making his Ashes swansong, while Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood are not getting any younger. Australian opener David Warner is definitely saying goodbye to this particular rivalry and has a handful of team-mates who are long shots to be back here in four years. Expect a few poignant moments.
Anderson in focusAnderson and England have nipped speculation about his future in the bud, with both parties insisting the most prolific seam bowler in Test history is not ready to hang up his boots just yet. But with time marching onwards, now would be the ideal time to show he is still operating at the highest level. Four wickets at 76.75 is a dreadful return for a player of his imperious standing and he will know it. The selectors have kept the faith and he needs to repay with his best performance of the series. With the likes of Josh Tongue, Ollie Robinson and Matthew Potts itching for a chance, he cannot wait too long.
A fresh start for Crawley?Amid the frustration of last week’s rain-ruined draw, Zak Crawley peeled off one of the most remarkable Ashes centuries ever. His 189 from 182 balls was a modern classic and underlined in bold the reasons England have stuck with him for so long. That innings has surely bought him time, but he needs to use it as a staging post. His last huge score, 267 against Pakistan in 2020, proved something of a false dawn but he is older, wiser and more experienced now. Armed with a high-class, high-pressure ton against England’s biggest rivals, the 25-year-old must try and peak more frequently – starting now.
Can captain Cummins bounce backAustralia skipper Pat Cummins did not look like a man who had won the World Test Championship and retained the Ashes at Old Trafford. In the field he looked passive at times and reactive at others and his own form evaporated as he turned in dire figures of one for 129 during England’s batting assault. He has even attracted some critics Down Under who want to see him step away from the role, despite his achievements this summer. Another loss would only intensify those calls and he needs to turn in an authoritative show to quieten them down.
22 years of hurtIt is hard to overestimate how much Australia want to turn their advantage into an outright series win. The last time the Baggy Greens won behind enemy lines was back in 2001, with defeats in 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015 and a 2-2 draw four years ago. Many of the current squad were involved in the 2019 contest, over-celebrating ahead of the Oval decider and coming unstuck. They are hungry to put that right this time, while England are keen to see them fall at the last hurdle. England’s triumph Down Under in 2010-11 – a series both Anderson and Broad played in – remains the last away Ashes win and the hosts want to keep it that way.
Salt century gives England winning start to West Indies T20 series
Phil Salt hit a superb century as England drew first blood in their T20 series against West Indies, with a commanding eight-wicket victory at the Kensington Oval.
Salt's unbeaten 103 off 54 balls was the highlight for the tourists, who successfully chased down their target of 183 with 19 balls to spare.
The West Indies endured a difficult start and were reduced to 18-3 and later 117-8, with Saqib Mahmood (4-34) and Adil Rashid (3-32) doing the damage.
However, the hosts managed 65 runs in the last 5.2 overs to finish at 182-8, with Gukadesh Motie knocking 33 off 14 balls along the way.
Salt kick-started England's chase with 50 off just 25 deliveries taking them to 73-1 after six overs, with Will Jacks (17) dismissed with the final ball of the powerplay.
Jos Buttler's first match after four months out lasted just three minutes, as the skipper was caught by Motie for a golden duck.
However, it proved a false dawn for West Indies, with Salt and Jacob Bethall (58 from 36 balls) safely steering England to victory.
Data Debrief: Salt completes hat-trick of hundreds as Bethell makes historic half-century
England put their disappointing ODI series behind them, making history with the highest T20 chase at the Kensington Oval.
Salt was the hero with his third T20I century, all of which have come against West Indies in the past 12 months.
Bethell also made history on Saturday. Aged 21 years and 17 days, he become the youngest England player to score a 50 in a T20I.
Asalanka leads Sri Lanka to ODI series win over West Indies
Sri Lanka wrapped up the ODI series against the West Indies with a five-wicket victory in Pallekele.
The hosts successfully chased down their opponents' total of 189, giving them an unassailable 2-0 in the three-match series.
Sri Lanka controlled the early powerplay - Asitha Fernando (3-35) and Maheesh Theekshana (3-25) took two wickets apiece to leave the tourists at 31-4 in the ninth over.
Wanindu Hasaranga (4-40) then claimed three of his four wickets as Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh and Alzarri Joseph were all dismissed in the space of 14 balls.
However, Sherfane Rutherford (80 off 82 balls) and Gudakesh Motie (50 not out) steadied the ship to take the Windies from 58-8 to 189.
Although Joseph claimed Avishka Fernando (9) in the fourth over, Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama both chipped in with contributions of 38 to get the hosts to 112-4.
Skipper Charith Asalanka (62 not out) led the charge thereon, while Kamindu Mendis (11) comfortably got them over the line with 34 balls remaining.
Data Debrief: Rutherford-Motie historic stand proves academic for tourists
West Indies were looking to level the series, but their hopes were not aided by Sri Lanka's impressive bowling.
Rutherford and Motie did their best. Their partnership brought 119 runs, which is their nation's highest ninth-wicket stand in ODI history, breaking the previous record of 85 between Yannic Cariah and Alzarri Joseph.
However, it ultimately proved in vain as the hosts secured the series with a game to spare.
'I was a tired, grumpy old man' - Stokes apologised to England team-mates after Pakistan defeat
Ben Stokes says he apologised to his England team-mates after his frustrations were evident during the second-Test defeat by Pakistan.
The hosts levelled the three-Test series on Thursday after wrapping up a 152-run win in Multan.
However, it could have been a different story but for fielding errors at crucial stages for the visitors, Jamie Smith and Joe Root notably dropping catches to dismiss Salman Agha, whose subsequent knock of 63 helped Pakistan seal victory with a day to spare.
Stokes, who returned to action following a hamstring injury, could not hide his frustration during a difficult day for England, but insisted he would not let his emotions get the better of him again.
"No one means to drop catches, but it just proves how important catches are in these subcontinent conditions, they don't come along that often," he told Sky Sports.
"I actually apologised to the group last night. It's the first time in my captaincy that I've let my emotions and how I was feeling with the way the game was unfolding show in my body language.
"I owned up to that and was very annoyed at myself for letting that out. It's something that I don't want to do or be seen to be doing, so I apologised to the group about that.
"Poor old me, I was a tired, grumpy old man last night! You won't see that happen again."
However, England coach Brendon McCullum defended the actions of his skipper.
"We all know how passionate Ben is, how much it means for him to play for England," he said.
"We've seen that through his bloody-mindedness to get back from injury, which was significant, and to do so in a nine-week timeframe and to have his first TM [Test match] in extreme conditions, 40 degrees, and be able to give what he gave to the side.
"I think, maybe, that's where some of that frustration led to - certainly, it wasn't directed at any of the players. It was more about trying to assess the rhythm of the game, and to impact on it."
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