Australia have been left to rue a month of missed alternatives after their bid to win an Ashes sequence in England for the primary time in 22 years collapsed in a heap at The Oval.
On a see-sawing remaining day to what has been one among Test cricket’s biggest ever sequence, Australia had been bowled out for 334 with 18.3 overs left on Monday as they sunk to a 49-run loss.
Up 2-0 within the sequence after their dramatic win at Lord’s earlier this month, Australia have now been compelled to accept a 2-2 sequence draw for the second consecutive journey to England.
History will present Australia retained the urn after final week’s washed-out draw, through which they had been outplayed at Old Trafford, however the probability to win an elusive sequence has gone begging with losses at Headingley and The Oval.
Australia’s temper was summed up within the post-match ceremony, the place Pat Cummins lifted the urn beside his staff with little pomp or celebration.
“It was probably just a feeling of missed opportunity,” Cummins mentioned.
“It felt like we got ourselves into some really good positions winning the first two games.
“In Headingley and this week we bought into match-winning positions and simply did not fairly capitalise. That occurs.
“Once we reflect, we will be proud we retained it. It’s been a wonderful tour. But we all turned up today hoping to get up and win 3-1.”
Adding to Australia’s frustration is that for lengthy intervals on Monday the drought appeared prone to be over earlier than a mid-innings collapse of 4-11.
Attempting to drag off the second-biggest fourth-innings chase in Australia’s Test historical past, the vacationers had been all the time preventing an uphill battle.
But with 120 runs to win after a prolonged rain delay and Steve Smith and Travis Head in management with seven wickets in hand, the match regarded there to be received for Australia.
Then catastrophe struck.
Head was caught at slip making an attempt to cover-drive a big-turning ball from Moeen Ali for 43, and the opening was there for England.
Smith adopted within the subsequent over when he edged Chris Woakes to slide on 54, earlier than Mitch Marsh was caught behind off Moeen by an excellent one-handed Jonny Bairstow catch.
And when Mitchell Starc edged Woakes to Zak Crawley within the following over, Australia had misplaced 4 wickets in 19 balls to see their hopes of a sequence victory slip away.
Cummins was caught quickly after making an attempt to drag a half-tracker from Moeen, however Australia threatened yet one more twist within the story when Toddy Murphy (18) and Alex Carey (28) bought the required runs all the way down to 55.
Eventually, they grew to become Stuart Broad’s remaining wickets in Test cricket and a mighty Ashes sequence was accomplished at 6:25pm on the final evening.
Woakes completed with 4-50 after ridding of David Warner (60) and Usman Khawaja (72) earlier within the day, whereas Moeen claimed 3-76 and introduced his second retirement from Test cricket shortly after.
“I think 2-2 is genuinely a fair reflection of two very, very good teams going at it,” England captain Ben Stokes mentioned.
“Being 2-0 down is a very hard task to come back from so being sat here able to say that we’ve levelled the series … I couldn’t be any more proud of the team in what they did.”
For Australia, they have to now wait till 2027 for an additional probability to win in England.
By then, as few as three gamers from the fifth Test staff could also be accessible.
They will depart England as World Test Champions, having claimed probably the most well-known win of this period at Edgbaston and a controversy-shrouded victory at Lord’s.
But regardless of all of it, nonetheless feeling considerably empty in a sequence they believed the legacy of this period can be outlined.
“If it is our legacy, that is one I am happy to have,” Cummins mentioned.
“The group has had some amazing achievements over the past few years.
“The final two sequence over right here we retained the Ashes. That would not occur fairly often.”
HOW THE ASHES SERIES PLAYED OUT
First Test: Australia won by two wickets at Edgbaston
Second Test: Australia won by 43 runs at Lord’s
Third Test: England won by three wickets at Headingley
Fourth Test: England drew with Australia at Old Trafford
Fifth Test: England received by 49 runs at The Oval.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
