Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe said she was “heartbroken” after her team’s World Cup last-16 hopes were ended by a 2-1 loss to Canada in Perth in their second group game.

Ireland, who had opened their debut campaign at a major tournament with last week’s 1-0 loss to co-hosts Australia, were on course for an historic victory after McCabe gave them an early lead, scoring direct from a corner in the fourth minute.

But Canada hit back as a Megan Connolly own goal restored parity in first-half stoppage time and Adriana Leon then netted the winner eight minutes into the second half.

With their efforts to respond against the Olympic champions falling short, Vera Pauw’s side, bottom of Group B, were left knowing they will be heading home after facing Nigeria in their final pool match in Brisbane next Monday.

Asked about scoring the first Irish goal at a Women’s World Cup, McCabe said on ITV1: “It’s bittersweet, isn’t it?

“Of course it’s nice to score and get us off to a good start, but it’s the results that matter in this game, at this level, in these type of tournaments. I’m just heartbroken for the girls because I felt like we deserved so much more from the game.

“I think we took a lot of positives from that second half against Australia, decided to be more confident and back ourselves a bit more going forward.

“We know we have the quality and the pace as well, especially on the flanks. We wanted to start the game with a lot of energy, getting in Canada’s face as much as possible and putting them under a lot of pressure, and I felt we did that. It’s just about capitalising on those moments then as well.”

Regarding the equaliser, McCabe said: “I think we felt like we were in control. It was unfortunate, it’s a sucker punch just before half-time, getting so close – it would have been nice to go in at 1-0.

“Even then, we felt the second half we could push for another goal, and obviously they scored then.”

The versatile Arsenal player said it was “an absolute honour and an absolute privilege” to captain the Ireland side, adding: “I’m just so proud of each and every single one of them, staff included.

“We’ve done so much to get here and now it’s about pushing on. We know now we’ve had tournament experience and we’re going to be hungry for more.

“Against Nigeria we want to end this tournament on a high and give the fans something to cheer about, because they were absolutely immense all game.”

Ireland crashed out of the Women’s World Cup after Canada came from behind to beat them 2-1 on Wednesday.

Spain and Japan reached the last 16 with a game to spare.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at all of Wednesday’s action.

Spain cruise into last 16

Jenni Hermoso and Alba Redondo scored twice as Spain thumped Zambia 5-0 to reach the last 16.

One of the tournament favourites made the knockout stages with a game to spare having already beaten Costa Rica in their first match.

Teresa Abelleira opened the scoring before Hermoso and Redondo took charge as Spain eased to victory.

Japan ease past Costa Rica

Japan also qualified for the last 16 with a routine win over Costa Rica.

Quickfire first-half goals from Hikaru Naomoto and Aoba Fujino saw the 2011 champions through.

Japan and Spain will battle it out for top spot in their final Group C game when they face each other on Monday.

Canada fight back to break Irish hearts

Ireland bowed out of the tournament after Canada came from behind to win in Group B.

Captain Katie McCabe gave Ireland the lead when she scored straight from a corner after just four minutes.

Megan Connolly’s own goal levelled just before half-time and Adriana Leon grabbed Canada’s winner eight minutes after the break.

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Group E: USA v Netherlands (2am, Wellington Regional Stadium)
Group E: Portugal v Vietnam (830am, Waikato Stadium)
Group B: Australia v Nigeria (11am, Brisbane Stadium)

Republic of Ireland’s hopes of reaching the World Cup last 16 came to an end as Canada came from behind to beat Vera Pauw’s side 2-1 in their second group game in Perth.

Ireland, who had opened what is their debut campaign at a major tournament finals with last week’s 1-0 loss to co-hosts Australia, were set for an historic victory after captain Katie McCabe gave them an early lead, audaciously scoring direct from a corner in the fourth minute.

But things turned around as a Megan Connolly own goal restored parity in first-half stoppage time, and Adriana Leon then put Canada in front eight minutes into the second half.

McCabe saw a subsequent strike deflect wide as Ireland sought an equaliser but were unable to hit back against the Olympic champions.

As Canada move to the top of Group B on four points, one clear of Australia having played a game more, Ireland are left knowing they will be heading home after facing Nigeria in their final pool match in Brisbane next Monday.

While there was disruption for Ireland just before kick-off as Heather Payne felt a tweak in her hamstring during the warm-up and was replaced in the team by Aine O’Gorman, they made a great start to the game, putting Canada under pressure almost immediately.

And after Kyra Carusa brought a third-minute save out Kailen Sheridan and the ball went behind, the resulting corner brought the Girls in Green their first World Cup goal thanks to an outrageous effort from their skipper.

McCabe sent the corner spinning goalwards and although Sheridan got a slight touch it was not enough as the ball went in off the far post.

Ireland’s early momentum continued with Sinead Farrelly having a shot pushed behind by Sheridan and McCabe skewing off-target as she attempted a low drive.

Canada then started to show some threat as Jordyn Huitema’s firm strike was saved by Courtney Brosnan and Vanessa Gilles passed up a good opportunity, poking over the Irish bar from close range.

Denise O’Sullivan shot over at the other end and a Carusa effort was dealt with by Sheridan before Canada pulled level in time added on prior to the interval when Julia Grosso’s cross was diverted into her own net by Connolly.

There was also time just before the break for a header wide from Gilles as Canada looked to strike another blow.

After Canada boss Bev Priestman, the former England assistant coach, then made a treble substitution at half-time, it took a fine Brosnan save to deny Huitema early in the second half.

And moments later Canada had the lead as Leon prodded in having received the ball from Sophie Schmidt, one of the trio to have come on.

Carusa subsequently headed over before Ireland were on the back foot again, Brosnan making saves from Christine Sinclair, another introduced at half-time, and Huitema.

Ireland’s further efforts to salvage a point included a McCabe shot going wide off a Canada shirt and another being blazed into the stand, and there was also a late shot from distance by substitute Lily Agg caught by Sheridan before the final whistle confirmed their campaign would not go beyond the group stage.

Pat Cummins insists Australia feel a strong sense of unfinished business as they bid to cap retaining the Ashes by completing an overdue series success on English soil.

The tourists begin the fifth and final Test with the urn already in the bag after last week’s Old Trafford washout frustrated England.

Australia have not won a series outright in England since 2001 and blew the chance to do so four years ago after paying the price for some over-exuberant celebrations ahead of their last visit to the Kia Oval, when they also held a 2-1 lead.

Captain Cummins believes the circumstances are completely different this time around and says his side are determined to end the 22-year wait.

“I think the good thing is that it’s a really similar group to 2019,” he said.

“That Manchester (in 2019) was a big win to retain the Ashes, which we hadn’t done for a long time off the back of Headingley, even Lord’s, where we probably missed a trick last series.

“I felt like that was a big exclamation mark on the end of that series with still one Test match to play.

“It feels really different here, this group has been really motivated to win the series.

“We know that it wasn’t our best week last week and at the end of the game it was a bit of a pat on the back, ‘well done, we’ve retained the Ashes’ but really it feels like the job’s not done.”

Australia, who went 2-0 up in the series, were spared a winner-takes-all decider in south London by a rain-ruined end to the fourth Test in Manchester.

England were well in control after piling up a 275-run first-innings lead but, with just 30 overs possible across the last two days, they were prevented from converting their dominance into a series-levelling victory.

The next five days could prove to be the end of an era for this Australia team, most of whom are aged 30 or above and may not be in contention for the next Ashes series in England in 2027.

Opening batter David Warner, who turns 37 in October, on Tuesday quashed rumours he is set to retire imminently and intends to stick to his initial plan of finishing on home soil early next year.

Pace bowler Cummins concedes knowing when to transition from one generation to the next is a complex issue but has no desire to see any player finish prematurely.

“It’s a hard one,” said the 30-year-old. “I certainly don’t want to rush anyone out of the door.

“I think this is about the fourth Ashes series where (England bowler) Jimmy Anderson has said it’s going to be his last one, so you never quite know. It is just an age.

“Some of these guys might be around here in four years and still be at the top level. We’ll see but it’s always a conversation.

“We’re lucky we’ve got white ball cricket, where you can have a soft entry for a lot of the (younger) guys, give them exposure to international cricket.

“It’s something the selectors talk about but really you try and pick your best XI each week.”

While admitting to some disappointment that she was sent off in their opening Fifa Women's World Cup game against France, Reggae Girlz captain Khadija "Bunny" Shaw says she has nothing to be ashamed of, as she did what was required to assure her team the best possible result.

In fact, Shaw's general mindset and outlook is one of utmost positivity, especially given the fact that the Girlz remained composed and resolute to earn their first ever World Cup point, following her ejection at Sydney Football Stadium.

The towering striker, who is rated among the best in the world at present, was sent off in time added in the goalless stalemate with fifth-ranked France, after she was shown a second yellow card for an unnecessary sliding challenge on Wendie Renard. She had early picked up a 37th-minute caution.

Though video replay showed that there was minimal contact, the rules of the game are such that VAR could not have intervened unless it was a straight red card. Still, it mattered little as an appeal by Head coach Lorne Donaldson was dismissed by Fifa and her suspension stands.

"Every time I go out on the pitch, I always give my 100 percent and try to help the team and be the leader that I know I can be. So, at the end of the day, my ultimate goal is more than just to score goals, I always aim to help the team defensively as well and stuff like that.

"So, it's a bit difficult for me, my first red card but looking back at the game, I am taking the positives from it which is my overall performance and of course, our first point at the World Cup," Shaw said.

"Physically I am pretty banged up, it was a very physical game and I strive off that so I know that my overall effort is something that I can feel proud of, and I walked off the pitch, not in the best way, but I walked off knowing that I did my best. So yes, I've looked back at it but only taking positives from it," she added.

Reflecting on the performance, Shaw pointed out that the well-experienced French outfit, a quarterfinalist from 2019 and one of the favourites for this ongoing showpiece, was always expected to prove a handful. On that note, she credits her teammates for their grit and determination in executing the game plan.

"As a team, we spoke about the game, we had a while to prepare for the game and we knew it wasn't going to be an easy game. We knew defensively we had to be solid and attacking wise, we had to make the right decisions when we are on the ball, so I think overall our performance was good. 

"We dug deep as a team, we had some difficult moments when France had a lot of corners and transitional moments, but we fed off each other in different aspects and actions of the game and I think ultimately the result speak for itself,” the Manchester City stalwart noted.

Despite her suspension from the upcoming game against 52nd-ranked Panama, a team she has always had success against dating back to the historic qualification in 2018, Shaw, 26, has every confidence in her team to once again deliver accordingly.

"Outsiders looking in can see our team, we are always together, we are one family and like I said, we feed of each other’s energy. So, when you have that chemistry and that sort of relationship with your teammates, it means if one of the ladies are out of position and another cover for her, they are going to do that and we have always been that way," Shaw reasoned.

"We have always believed in ourselves and our capabilities and preparation wise, it wasn't the best, but we have to focus on what we can control and that is to give of our best on the pitch and hopefully it will always be good enough," the Spanish Town native said.

The 43rd-ranked Girlz are currently third in Group F on a point, same as France, both behind leaders Brazil on three points, while Panama is pointless.

A win, particularly by a handsome scoreline in Saturday's encounter at Perth Rectangular Stadium, would put the Girlz in a good position to achieve their main objective –to progress beyond the group stages.

They are scheduled to close group play against Brazil on August 2.

"I think that (upcoming game) is going to be a big challenge for us, we have played Panama multiple times before, so we know what they have to offer. But I think ultimately, we have to focus on ourselves go out there build from the result that we got against France, keep our confidence high and hopefully at the end of the day we can get the job done," Shaw ended.

Debutants Philippines stunned co-hosts New Zealand to claim their first World Cup victory.

Norway’s hopes are in the balance after their draw with Switzerland while Colombia cruised past South Korea.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at all of Tuesday’s action.

Philippines pull off shock result

Sarina Bolden’s first-half winner made World Cup history as the Philippines grabbed their first-ever win after beating New Zealand 1-0 in Group A. Bolden’s 24th-minute header was the difference as the co-hosts wasted their chance to build on their opening win over Norway with Jacqui Hand hitting the post and having a goal disallowed. The Philippines struck midway through the first half when Bolden headed past Victoria Esson from close range.

Norway off the boil

Norway’s World Cup hopes hang by a thread after a stalemate with Switzerland. Norway, who were stunned by New Zealand in their opener, lost star forward Ada Hegerberg to injury just before kick-off. Swiss goalkeeper Gaelle Thalmann kept them out and Norway will now need to beat Philippines and hope results elsewhere go their way to avoid an early exit.

Colombia kick off with win

Colombia brushed aside South Korea 2-0 in their Group H game in Sydney. Catalina Usme – Colombia’s all-time top scorer – broke the deadlock from the spot after Shim Seo-Yeon’s handball. Real Madrid’s 18-year-old Linda Caicedo doubled the lead soon after with her shot slipping past Yoon Young-Geul in the Korea goal.

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Group B: Canada v Republic of Ireland (7am, Perth Rectangular Stadium)
Group C: Japan v Costa Rica (6am, Dunedin Stadium)
Group C: Spain v Zambia (8.30am, Eden Park)

Harry Brook was just two years old the last time Australia won an Ashes series in England and wants to ensure their wait goes on by securing a “moral victory” for the home side at the Oval.

The tantalising prospect of this week’s fifth and final Test being a do-or-die shootout for the urn disappeared in a downpour at Old Trafford, where England’s dominance was rewarded with a rain-ruined draw.

A 2-1 lead means the Baggy Greens retain as holders, but they remain intent on becoming the first Australian side to win outright on English soil since 2001.

Should they fall at the final hurdle, as they did from the same position four years ago, it would be a flat finish to a tour that started with a triumphant World Test Championship final against India.

And Brook, 24, is eager to press home the growing impression that England have enjoyed the better of this summer’s rivalry.

“We haven’t lost yet, they’ve only retained it. There is another Test match to be won,” he said.

“It’s a shame the weather ruined it for us because we’d have felt very confident going into this game at 2-2. We were dominating the game last week, so if the game had played out, I would like to think we would have won. If we can win this week, yeah, it almost can make it a moral victory.

“We’re not focused on winning as a side, we’re focused on making people enjoy watching and bringing Test cricket alive again. I think we’ve done a decent job of that in the last 12 months and it’s been exciting to watch. It’s definitely been exciting to play in.”

Asked if spoiling the Australian party was a motivating factor, he added: “That would be lovely. It’s not nice drawing, but it would be lovely to not give them that privilege.

“We’re just going to go out there and play the same way we have in this series.”

Brook is one of the least experienced members of a seasoned England squad and has embraced his first taste of Ashes cricket.

He has 271 runs, three half-centuries and a middling average of 38.71, but played a match-winning hand of 75 during a tense fourth-innings chase at Headingley.

“On a personal note, that is one of my favourite innings – a crunch game, at my home ground, so to have contributed a significant amount was nice,” he said.

“I’m learning every day and there are so many things I have learnt this series playing against some of the best bowlers in the world. Having grown up watching quite a bit of the Ashes, it feels like the pinnacle of Test cricket.

“There is a fine line between aggression and recklessness. I’d probably rather be on the reckless side than the tentative side. I’m not just there to survive. I like to score runs and I try to score them quite quick.”

There are some tired bodies in the England camp, particularly among the bowling group. Chris Woakes and Mark Wood are both battling stiffness and soreness, while Stuart Broad is eyeing the prospect of playing a sixth Test in just over seven weeks at the age of 37.

But while many of their group are looking forward to a well-earned rest, Brook’s youth and exuberance means he plans to turn out for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred just three days after the end of the Ashes.

“I’m going straight into it. I’m happy to play that first game,” he said.

Brook is well in demand on the short-form circuit, having won a £1.3million deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League as well as representing teams in the Pakistan Super League and Big Bash.

But he insists the international game is his overwhelming priority and has no intention of letting his head be turned.

Addressing reports that the England and Wales Cricket Board is preparing to introduce improved multi-year deals which would limit availability in T20 tournaments, he said: “I want to play cricket for England. I’m not bothered about all the franchise stuff.

“Obviously, it’s a bonus but I’m completely focused on playing cricket for England. I’m playing all three formats for England, I don’t really feel like there’s too much time to be playing any other franchise stuff, to be honest.

“The IPL is the only one that is really free, when you’re available for everything, so there won’t be much thought there.”

Harry Brook wants to end England’s Ashes summer on a high and believes levelling the series at the Kia Oval would represent “a moral victory” over Australia.

The tourists already know they will be lifting the urn at the end of this week’s fifth Test, with their current 2-1 lead enough to guarantee they retain as holders.

They are still aiming to pull off an outright victory to become the first Australian men’s side to win a series on these shores since 2001, but England can ensure their achievement rings hollow if they make it 2-2 in south London.

After winning at Headingley and dominating the first three days at Old Trafford before rain robbed them,  Ben Stokes’ men want to prove they have had the better of the contest.

“We were dominating the game last week so, if the game had played out, I would like to think we would have won. If we can win this week, it almost makes it a moral victory,” Brook said.

“That would be lovely. It’s not nice drawing, but it would be lovely to not give them that privilege.

“We’re just gonna go out there and play the same way we have in this series. It’s a shame the weather ruined it for us because we’d have felt very confident going into this game at 2-2. The rain won last week.

“We were thinking that (we deserved something) last week when it was pouring down in Manchester. It never seems to be sunny there.”

Brook has registered three half-centuries and scored 271 runs across seven Ashes innings, but would love a big score to finish the series.

On his match-winning 75 at Headingley, the Yorkshireman said: “On a personal note, one of my favourite innings, in a crunch game, at my home ground, to have contributed a significant amount was nice.

“There are so many things I have learnt this series and to play some of the best bowlers in the world, I haven’t got a big score but feel I have contributed in a few games now.

“I know I am at my best when I am trying to be positive, not just trying to survive. A couple of times I feel like I have been reckless, especially that innings at Lord’s in the first innings and then some innings where I’ve been tentative and not trying to score. It is just about getting it right.

“I have definitely got used to them (the Australian bowlers), I haven’t faced them before this series so it takes time but I feel I have watched enough and faced enough to go out there and feel confident now.”

Jamaica's assistant coach Xavier Gilbert says the senior Reggae Girlz are well aware of the importance of focusing on the task at hand, instead of overdosing on the high of earning their first ever Fifa Women's World Cup point.

Though their historic goalless draw against one of the tournaments favourite and fifth-ranked France is worth celebrating, Gilbert pointed out that the players required no reminders about their main objective at the tournament being co-hosted in Australia and New Zealand --to progress beyond the group stages.

In fact, the assistant to Head coach Lorne Donaldson emphasized that the focus shifted to their upcoming game against Panama, soon after they departed the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday, where the 43rd-ranked Girlz gritty performance delighted a crowd of almost 40,000.

"I think we did well, we had our game plan against France and the Girlz executed, not perfectly, but well enough to earn us a point in an atmosphere that almost felt like Jamaica's National Stadium. The crowd was really behind us and supported us and for that we are happy, even moreso, to get on the board where the point is concerned, but it's unto the next game," Gilbert told SportsMax.tv.

"It (the point) is huge, and it no doubt ranks high on the list of the country's accomplishments among male or female teams, but more importantly, it puts us in good stead for the rest of the tournament and the players know that. So, while they basked in the achievement, they remain focus on the job at hand and know the level of work they have to put in to earn it," he added.

The Girlz have now been subjected to much higher expectations than they usually entertain with many pundits now believing they can pull off what initially seemed an impossible task of getting out Group F which also includes number eight-ranked Brazil.

That hype and confidence behind the team has reached a level where the Girlz commanded the media spotlight for the past two days and even earned the respect of many, who would have probably scoffed at their ambitions in the buildup to this, their second appearance global showpiece, following three losses on debut in France 2019.

Still, Gilbert reiterated that the players are aware that the off-field hype isn't enough to carry the team and it is only through consistent efficiency in their performances against more top-quality teams that will truly prove them worthy.

"I'm sure the other teams will start to respect us now, we had objectives that we want to achieve so the strength of the first game performance would have increased the confidence level in the Girlz ability and what they can achieve in the tournament," he said.

"But we haven’t won anything yet, so obviously there’s a lot of expectations, but we still feel like the underdogs, and we still have a lot of work to do as we keep building towards a sustainable and competitive women’s football programme," Gilbert noted.

With Brazil currently at the top of the group on three points, the Jamaicans, who are joint second on a point with France, will be hoping to assert their authority against 52nd-ranked Concacaf rivals Panama, who are without a point, after a 0-4 loss to the Brazilians.

Though the Reggae Girlz setup has improved significantly where player quality is concerned, since that famous October 17, 2018, penalty shootout victory against the Panamanians, which secured their first World Cup berth, Gilbert said they will by no means grandstand against their rivals come Saturday at the Perth Rectangular Stadium, especially without inspirational captain Khadija "Bunny" Shaw.

The prolific striker picked up two yellow cards I that opening contest against France. Efforts have since been made to have the second caution that led to the suspension, overturned, but it is left to be seen what will transpire.

For now, Gilbert explained that they are proceeding accordingly.

"It's a huge disappointment both for her [Bunny] and the team that she will miss the next game, but the ladies are professional, they know what is at stake, they understand what to do and again it's just about the belief in their own ability to get the job done without Bunny.

"So we are preparing for the next game in that vein because we don't underestimate any team. So as soon as we got the Girlz recovered, it was back to business because we have to take care of business come Saturday," Gilbert ended.

England have named an unchanged squad for the final Ashes Test of the summer with a decision now required over James Anderson’s involvement at the Kia Oval.

The Manchester weather washed out play on Sunday and wrecked England’s hopes of setting up a winner-takes-all decider this week.

The draw means Australia have retained the urn with the series at 2-1 with one Test to play, but England will try to rally as a group and win in London to ensure a second successive home Ashes ends 2-2.

An unchanged 14-man squad has been selected for the fifth Test, which begins on Thursday, and all eyes will be on what England do with Anderson.

Veteran Anderson, who will turn 41 on Sunday, has struggled to take wickets throughout the series, picking up four scalps in three Tests at an average of 76.75.

He only claimed a solitary wicket in the drawn Old Trafford match and, after being rested for England’s victory at Headingley, the return to fitness of Ollie Robinson following a back spasm will leave captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum with a tough call to make in the capital.

If Anderson is left out at the Kia Oval, it could mean he has appeared in England whites for the last time with a decision required by the seamer and the selectors regarding his role over the next 12 months with central contracts set to be handed out later this year.

Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, who did struggle with stiffness towards the end of the Old Trafford Test, have impressed since being drafted into the XI while Stuart Broad is the leading wicket-taker in the whole Ashes.

Sussex seamer Robinson claimed 10 wickets in the first three Tests of the series and Josh Tongue caught the eye with his aggression in his one appearance against Australia at Lord’s.

England’s batting line-up is set to be unchanged with Moeen Ali to continue at three, but a call on Anderson and the other seamers will be made over the next two days.

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.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes Ben Stokes’ side still have “a huge amount to play for” in the final Ashes Test, as they look to deny Australia a first away win in over two decades.

A rain-ruined finish to the fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford saw England’s chances of regaining the urn washed away on Sunday, but they have just three days to lick their wounds before embarking on the series finale 2-1 down at the Kia Oval.

The last Australian side to win a series on these shores did so in 2001, with Vaughan kicking off England’s era of dominance at home when he led his team to victory in the golden summer of 2005.

The Baggy Greens have had five winless tours in a row, also losing in 2009, 2013 and 2015 before taking a 2-2 draw four years ago, and Vaughan wants to keep the streak going.

“You wouldn’t want to be the first England team to lose here since 2001, so I do think there’s a huge amount to play for down at the Oval,” he told BBC Test Match Special.

“I know they’re 2-1 down but it just feels like England have been the better team. They’ve played some good stuff and dominated many parts of the Test matches.

“I’ll be interested to see how Australia play at the Oval and whether or not they try to be positive. If England win at the Oval, they deserve it because they have been the better side. If Australia play the way they have in this test then England will absolutely wipe them.

“They’ll go back to the first two Tests and look at mistakes they’ve made in the field and at that batting collapse in the first innings at Lord’s, but I do think they are a team that learn quickly now.”

Australia great Glenn McGrath, who was part of teams in 2001 and 2005, believes his country’s passive performance in Manchester was a deliberate tactic to scrape the draw they needed to secure the urn.

He also suggested England had cause for regret, suggesting they batted on too long on Friday before the weather turned and also passed up opportunities earlier in the series.

“To me, Australia played this game in survival mode, to protect the lead they’ve got,” he said.

“Australia knew what they wanted to do and they may have looked a bit ugly and a bit negative doing it, but their goal was to retain the Ashes in this match and they’ve done it.

“Looking back at that declaration (decision), if they had finished at lunch on day three, given themselves 10 more overs when the ball was doing a bit more, they could easily have picked up six or seven wickets.

“The story could be different. England had the opportunity but for some reason decided to play on after lunch which, to a degree, sealed their fate. If they’d played truly ruthless cricket, they could be 3-0 up by now but they’re 2-1 down at the Ashes have gone.”

Ben Stokes will not be bringing the Ashes urn back home after a fifth-day washout in Manchester but the captain believes his England side have played their way into the nation’s hearts.

Relentless rain at Emirates Old Trafford on Sunday ruined England’s hopes of putting the finishing touches to a dominant performance in the fourth Test, with five of the last six sessions in the match lost without a single ball bowled.

That was enough for Australia to get out of jail with five wickets in hand, retaining the Ashes with an unassailable 2-1 lead despite being beaten at Headingley and roundly outclassed in the first three days here.

Fans on both sides of the rivalry will now be denied the spectacle of a blockbuster series finale at the Kia Oval, but Stokes is confident his team’s thrill-a-minute style has already secured a place in the game’s folkore.

England have recast themselves as foot-to-the-floor entertainers in the ‘Bazball’ era, drawing in new fans and taking the Test format into places it has not been since the beloved summer of 2005.

“It’s a tough one to take, a tough pill to swallow. We were completely and utterly dominant throughout the hours of play we had, but the weather didn’t help us and we can’t change that,” Stokes said.

“If this game went without rain we probably would have been favourites to be sat here at 2-2 and I think that would have elevated everything that this series has already done for Test cricket.

“But I think what we’ve managed to do has already done wonders for cricket in England. I said in the dressing room that the reward for your work isn’t what you get, it’s what you become. And I think what we’ve managed to become is a team that people will remember.

“We’ve become a team that have been so unbelievably well followed and we will live long in the memories of those who have watched us.

“As much as I would love to be an Ashes-winning captain, I want this team to be a legacy team. Regardless of how the series ends up, people will always talk about us.”

Stokes refused to fumble for distractions, brushing aside questions about reserve days and the tradition of the holders having the right to retain in a draw series.

“Test cricket is five days. I don’t ever see there being a reserve day in a series like this,” he said.

“This is the way it’s always been. We know we can’t get the urn back but we can draw the series and that’s what we’ll be trying to do.”

There is precious little time for Stokes to rally his troops for that challenge, with the fifth and final Test starting on Thursday.

Whether England can carry their momentum through remains to be seen, but the prospect of denying Australia a first series win on these shores since 2001 is a motivation in its own right.

“We have to get over the disappointment and focus on that game,” Stokes said. “It is a massive one for us and we know 2-2 sounds a lot better than 3-1.

“The mentality and mindset within this dressing room is to go out and win. Every time we walk out on the field that’s all I encourage the players to do, just concentrate on what you need to do as an individual to influence a game in the right way.

“There’s no doubt if we’d managed to get a result in this game next week would have been a very, very special week in the history of English cricket, not just Ashes cricket. But we’ll be treating it as we do every other game.

“We’re always putting our front foot forward and trying to press the game as hard as we possibly can. As a captain that’s something that makes me very proud as a leader of the 10 other guys out there.”

England’s bid to regain the Ashes is over as a drawn fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford meant Australia kept hold of their 2-1 lead and the urn.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the reasons why England came up short in their bid to claim the urn for the first time since 2015.

Leach ruled out

Trusted spinner Jack Leach has had terrible luck with injuries and illness in his career but a stress fracture in his lower back a couple of weeks before the series began was a particularly cruel blow. Up until that point, Leach had been an ever-present in the ‘Bazball’ era, taking three five-fors and a 10-wicket match haul in 13 Tests, emboldened by Ben Stokes’ more attacking leadership. Leach being ruled out – and a dearth of county spinners – meant England had to hastily revisit their plans for Australia.

Declaration on the opening day

England had Edgbaston rocking and Australia on the ropes, with Joe Root starting to unleash his full repertoire after reaching his century, but Stokes wanted a crack at the opposition before stumps. He called Root and Ollie Robinson in with England on 393 for eight, coughing up the chance of going well past 400 for four overs at David Warner and Usman Khawaja, both of whom survived until stumps. Even though England eked out a slender first-innings lead, the tense climax that later unfolded meant England really could have done with the extra runs to put Australia under the pump.

Dropped catches

Fielding has been England’s weak link, with questions over Jonny Bairstow’s return as wicketkeeper just 10 months after a horrific broken leg increasing with every missed chance – eight in total. In Birmingham, his fluffed stumping of Cameron Green and drop of Alex Carey cost England 78 runs, although the hosts were profligate in general. Root and Stokes were unable to hold on to tough chances off Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon respectively, the fine margins that proved the difference in Australia’s win.

Moeen’s finger

Leach’s absence led to Stokes sending out an SOS to the more mercurial Moeen Ali, who reversed his Test retirement. He has returned just six wickets at an average of 64.5 and been outshone by part-timer Joe Root at times. This was evident in the opener in Moeen’s first Test in nearly two years, where the increased workload caused a blister on his spinning finger that then burst, impinging his ability to land the ball in the right areas. He was unreliable in Australia’s run-chase, sending down 14 overs, one fewer than Root, who was much more dangerous only for Cummins and Lyon to get Australia home.

Happy hookers

At 188 for one in response to Australia’s 416 at Lord’s, England were cruising. Australia turned to a bouncer barrage in desperation on an unhelpful pitch and the hosts obliged. First Ollie Pope, then Ben Duckett – two short of a first Ashes century – and linchpin Joe Root all flapped uncertainly as England lurched to 222 for four. Harry Brook later fell into the trap as England coughed up a big first-innings lead, with suggestions – rejected by the dressing room – they had taken an attacking approach too far.

Carey outsmarts Bairstow

The stumping heard around the world. Bairstow ducked a bouncer from Green then, believing the ball to be dead, immediately strode down the wicket after scratching his back foot in his crease. However, Carey gathered the ball and immediately threw the poles down. Cummins upheld the appeal and while the incident awoke the beast inside Stokes, the Yorkshireman’s perfectly legal dismissal left the England captain with just bowlers for company as they fell short in the chase. The issue mushroomed to the extent that the Prime Ministers of both countries had their say over the ‘spirit of cricket’.

Rain

Defeats at Edgbaston and Lord’s meant England needed to be note-perfect – and have a little fortune – to regain the urn. They rebounded at Headingley and were totally dominant at Old Trafford, bagging a 275-run first-innings lead to leave Australia shell-shocked. The writing looked to be on the wall when they slid to 113 for four at the end of day three but there was just a 30-over window over the weekend – with a Sunday washout – because of atrocious weather in Manchester. The idea that England should have declared earlier to give themselves more time to bowl out their opponents was arguably voided by them taking just one more scalp as Australia closed to within 61 with five wickets left.

England’s hopes of setting up a winner-takes-all Ashes decider were wiped out by the Manchester weather, with a fifth day washout in the fourth Test handing the urn to Australia.

The most pessimistic forecasts came to pass at Emirates Old Trafford as relentless rain meant the players never made it to the middle, salvaging a draw for the tourists and rendering their 2-1 series lead unassailable.

England arrived 61 ahead and needing five wickets to get over the line but left without a ball being bowled.

They have all but eliminated the concept of the draw since captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum ushered in the ‘Bazball’ era more than a year ago, but – for the first time in 17 games at the helm – conditions finally left them with no cards to play.

After weeks of blockbuster entertainment in the closest, most exciting Ashes contest since 2005, a shootout for glory at the Kia Oval next week was on the cards if there had been enough time for England to convert their dominance.

Instead, dreams of a stirring comeback to beat their rivals for the first time since 2015 were swept away, leaving the holders to retain in circumstances that will surely ring hollow.

Australia made it clear they were more than happy to finish the job in the pavilion rather than out on the pitch, but any post-match celebrations may be slightly muted after this narrow escape.

There is still plenty to play for, with Australia bidding to claim a first outright win on English soil in 22 years while their opponents are seeking to square the ledger at 2-2 and preserve an undefeated streak under Stokes’ leadership. But a home win being taken off the table by the elements is the definition of a damp squib.

England had made all the running here, piling up a 275-run first-innings advantage and taking five of the 10 wickets they needed to finish the job before the skies turned against them.

Five of the last six sessions were lost without a ball bowled, leaving a 30-over window on Saturday afternoon as the only play possible on the wettest of weekends. England will be cursing their misfortune and have now lost the chance to be become just the second team in Ashes history to win from 2-0 down.

The momentum of the series swung when captain Ben Stokes embarked on a six-hitting rampage in the fourth innings at Lord’s, apparently sparked into life by Alex Carey’s controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow, and, although his magnificent century was not enough to save that game, it set things on a new path.

England took the third Test at Headingley in relatively comfortably fashion – the first of three must-win games – and spent the first three days on the other side of the Pennines establishing an even more dominant position.

Zak Crawley’s outrageous 189 and an unbeaten 99 from Bairstow saw them pile up 592, their highest total against Australia in a dozen years, and an three-wicket blast from Mark Wood tightened their grip on the third evening as Australia stumbled to 113 for four.

That was as good as it got for the hosts, with Marnus Labuschagne making 111 and Mitch Marsh batting through what became the final session of the match to keep Australian heads above water.

The sides will reconvene in south London on Thursday for the final chapter in a memorable tour.