Bid for Ashes series win falls in a heap
Australia’s wait to win an Ashes series in England will extend to at least 26 years after falling at the final hurdle with a 49-run defeat at The Oval.
In a sea-sawing final day at The Oval, Australia were bowled out for 334, ending their fourth-innings pursuit of 384 with 18.2 overs left in the last session.
A dejected Steve Smith. Reuters
The result means the pulsating series finishes level at 2-2, with Australia retaining the Ashes but leaving England without the series win the tourists so desperately desired.
Winless in all Test series in England since the 2001 series, Australia will now have to wait until 2027 for another chance.
Making matters worse for Australia is that for long periods on Monday that drought appeared likely to be over, before Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali sparked a mid-innings collapse of 4-11.
Attempting to pull off the biggest fourth-innings chase in all Tests at the south London venue, and the second biggest in Australia’s history, the tourists were always fighting an uphill battle.
But with 120 to win after a lengthy rain delay and Steve Smith and Travis Head in control with seven wickets in hand, the match looked there to be won for Australia.
Then disaster struck.
Australia’s Travis Head is caught out by England’s Joe Root. Reuters
Head was caught at slip trying to cover-drive a big-turning ball from Moeen for 43, and the opening was there for England.
Smith followed in the next over when he edged Woakes to slip on 54, before Mitch Marsh was caught behind off Moeen by a brilliant one-handed Jonny Bairstow catch.
And when Mitchell Starc edged Woakes to Zak Crawley in the following over, Australia had lost four wickets in 19 balls to see their hopes of series victory slip away.
England’s Ben
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