Ashes – 4th test: Match drawn between England and Australia

The match between England and Australia on the fifth day got drawn, the whitewash being avoided. Jack Leach and Stuart broad joined the match with just 64 balls in hand. Rain played a role by delaying the match.

England avoided the whitewash!

64 balls were left to get delivered on the final evening when the last pair of the team, Jack Leach and Stuart Broad joined the match. Jonny Bairstow got dismissed by Scott Boland for 41 and the Australian team had nearly taken the lead 4-0 which didn’t happen.

With 18 balls in hand, umpires Paul Reiffel and Rod Tucker told the Australian skipper Pat Cummins that it was already too dark for fast bowling. Till then, Nathan Lyon completed his 21st innings and Steve Smith got the chance to bowl. His leg- breaks hadn’t got him a Test wicket in five plus years.

For 25 overs, before and after lunch, Joe Root and Ben Stokes held firm. Stokes had dismissed Mitchell Starc for a six post-break.

Rain delayed the match after the lunch knocking seven offers off that England would need to survive. Soon they were aware they have to play without Root. The stand of 60 ended and left England 156 for four.

Smith missed a chance to dismiss Starc and Australia’s sixth drop of the match. With 11 overs left, they celebrated again and Bairstow was caught at a silly point by Labuschagne through a thick edge on to his pad.

The scores of 113 and 41 in the Test have lengthened his career though the participation in the finale in Tasmania depended on Doctor’s report about his injured thumb.

After the dismissal, Leach and Broad had only 64 balls to draw the entire match. Leach made the best impact and Broad with the help of Anderson had finished the final thing.

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