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Ashes 2023 | Australia Retain Ashes After Rain Leads Well-Poised Manchester Test To Tame Draw

Aakash Saini

image-lkfkb1j4Old Trafford, Manchester [Twitter]

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Heavy downpour washed out the entirety of Day 5 at Manchester as the fourth Ashes 2023 Test ended in a tame draw.

The result means Australia retain the Ashes, with the decider set to be played in London later this week.


Crawley and Bairstow’s efforts in vain as AUS stay ahead

Australia, after finding themselves 275 runs behind England in the first innings, reached 214-5 in their second by stumps on Day 4. Notably, the penultimate day itself endured a loss of 60 overs owing to ceaseless rains in Manchester.

England's final hope of pushing for a victory was eventually dashed on Day 5 as no play was possible due to deteriorating weather conditions.

Australia's overnight batters Mitchell Marsh (31*) and Cameron Green (3*) remain unbeaten in the innings as on-field umpires called off play in the evening.

Earlier, Marnus Labuschagne listed a blistering century, one that kept Australia alive until rains washed away five sessions worth of play on Day 4 and Day 5.

England's Zak Crawley unfurled the innings of the match with his 189, while Jonny Bairstow's 81-ball 99* carpet-bombed the visitors in their 592-run total and a 275-run lead.

Fittingly, Crawley was adjudged as 'Player of the Match' for his first innings batting efforts.

The two sides will now clash at The Oval in London for the series-deciding fifth Test, scheduled to commence on July 27.


Brief Scores

Australia: 317 (90.2)
Mitchell Marsh 51 (60), Marnus Labuschagne 51 (115)
Chris Woakes 5-62 (22.2), Stuart Broad 2-68 (14)

England: 592 (107.4)
Zak Crawley 189 (182), Jonny Bairstow 99* (81)
Josh Hazlewood 5-126 (27), Cameron Green 2-64 (15.4)

Australia: 214-5 (71)
Marnus Labuschagne 111 (173), Mitchell Marsh 31* (107)
Mark Wood 3-27 (11), Chris Woakes 1-31 (12)

Match Drawn and Australia retain The Ashes.