BEN STOKES-led England have announced an unchanged squad for the fifth and final Test against Pat Cummins’ Australia of the ongoing Ashes 2023 series set to be played at the Kennington Oval in London from July 27.
The visitors have managed to retain the urn after the Manchester Test got washed away in heavy rain. Australia still have the opportunity to win the series by winning the fifth and final Test. However, the hosts can only draw the series and keep their streak of not losing the Ashes at their home in more than two decades alive.
Aussies Retain Ashes Urn
Australia have managed to retain the Ashes as the fourth Test at Old Trafford has ended in a draw due to rain on Sunday. The result means that the Ashes urn will be headed back to Australia after this series ends.
England, who needed five wickets to force a win with Australia needing 61 runs to force the hosts into batting again. The Ben Stokes-led side was in a dominant position for the majority of the match, but they have been denied a crack at victory due to rain not allowing any play to happen on day five.
It is also the first time that England have played a draw under Stokes’ leadership. Australia, after being on the backfoot at Manchester, will now have a chance to go for a series win in England for the first time since 2001.
England will now be hoping to win the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval, starting from June 27 and push for a 2-2 draw to end the series on a high. The rain had earlier wiped out two sessions of day four’s play on Saturday.
England Squad for 5th Ashes Test: Ben Stokes (C) Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
