The Ashes 2023

‘Ben Stokes agar uss din cool banne nahi gaya hota…’ – Fans react as 4th Ashes Test ends in draw due to rain interruption, Australia retain the urn

Not a single ball was bowled on the fifth day of the fourth Test due to rain
England
England (Source: Twitter)

The fifth day of the fourth Test between England and Australia saw not a single ball bowled. As a result, the Manchester Test ended in a draw, thanks to the rain gods. With a game to go, Australia has an unassailable lead of 2-1 in the series, which means they have retained the Ashes urn yet again. There was no way the play was possible on the fifth day.  

There were gloomy faces all over the ground. The English players waited for the rain to stop. Throughout the day, the players hoped for the continuation of play, but it was not possible. As a result, the umpires had to declare the Test drawn. One of those Test matches where a side played better cricket did not get a chance to win the match.  

A heavy spell of rain became responsible for the first drawn Test in the tenure of Brendon McCullum as the coach and Ben Stokes as the captain of England. There were 17 Test matches without a draw from June 2022 to July 2023, the longest such streak in Test cricket. Australia is now unbeaten in Ashes from 2017/18, for the fourth time in a row. It is the third-longest series streak in Ashes in the post-war era.  

Criticism of Scheduling and Declaration

The home side had to win the Test to stay alive in the series. Though the English players gave their everything to make things happen, the weather did not allow full play. England can now not win the Ashes. The English captain Ben Stokes is receiving criticism from former cricketers and fans for his controversial declaration in the first Test in Edgbaston.  

Many former cricketers, fans, players, and experts criticized the scheduling, as nearly five complete sessions of play were washed out due to rain. Many players asked for better scheduling. Some argued that the match could have continued as the rain had stopped after the decision of the umpires. The discussion will go on and on regarding scheduling, declarations, and close moments where England lost the first two Tests. 

Here’s how the fans reacted to the fourth Test –

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