Australia kept the Ashes after Test 4 ended in a tie due to rain interrupting play. ing the Ashes – insisting that the real prize will be the first series win in England since 2001.
As they did four years ago, Australia retained the urn at Old Trafford. They then celebrated heartily with a big Test win at the end of the fifth day, but this time the circumstances were different, with the match ending in a draw thanks to incessant rain on the final two days of the match.
In 2019, Australia lost at the Oval, so the series was drawn 2-2, extending their unbeaten streak in England to 22 years. Since several senior players such as Steve Smith, probably on their last tour of England, described winning the series here as a “wish list” item, Cummins felt the job was not done yet.
Only a handful of hardy Australian fans were left at Old Trafford when the game was finally abandoned at 5:24, and the players were smiling a bit of approval.
Old Trafford as game canceled due to rain. Photo: Getty Images/Stu Forster
“There will be no grand celebrations – maybe a pat on the back for being pinned down, a lot of work has been done in this situation where a draw really makes us stay, but there will be a test in three days, so subdued [celebrations],” Cummins said. It probably wasn't the best week, so the rain helped a little.
“It's a bit strange. As a band, we're proud to keep the Ashes, but it wasn't the best week for us – it's good that we kept it, but we know we have a lot of work to do next week. It's very similar to the 2019 band, when we stayed and left feeling good, but it felt like we missed out on what we came for – in a way, whatever happens today is really going to change how we feel about next week – we want to win.”
“We're here to win and we want to try something that the Australian team hasn't done in 20+ years, so it's really exciting. No one in our group has done this before.”
Cummins himself had a poor test, conceded one for 129, his most expensive test record, and tactically struggled to contain England's all-out attack. He said that he “didn't bowl very well at all.”
Both teams will have to dust themselves off before the final test, which starts on Thursday. England question whether Chris Wokes can recover from “quadriceps soreness” in time, while Australia can freshen up after surviving England's brutal attack for the first time, scoring 592 at 5.5 overs.
English supporters are hopeful that Chris Wokes can recover for the final Test after five goals at Old Trafford. Photo: Getty Images/Alex Davidson
Ben Stokes, England's captain, was disappointed that the memorable series would not get the finale it deserved, but vowed that his team would be looking to ruin the Australia party yet again.
“I think it would lift everything the series has already done for Test cricket, especially in England,” he said. “But I think what we have been able to do, at least until today, has already done wonders for cricket in England. I think next week we will still have the support we have been giving throughout the series.
“There is no doubt that if we manage to get a result in this game, next week will be a very, very special week in the history of English cricket, and not just Ashe's cricket. We will treat it like any other game and I hope the support we get is still the same or thereabouts as if it were 2-2.
“It's very much like 2019 when we had to go to the Oval and win to draw. We need to get over today's frustration and then focus on this game. It's a big game for us and 2-2 sounds a lot better than 3-1.”
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