The Ashes 2023 LIVE: England vs Australia result and reaction as rain decides series

England’s hopes of setting up a winner-takes-all Ashes decider were wiped out by the Manchester weather, with a fifth-day washout in the fourth Test handing the urn to Australia.

The most pessimistic forecasts came to pass at Old Trafford as relentless rain meant the players never made it to the middle, salvaging a draw for the tourists and rendering their 2-1 series lead unassailable.

England arrived 61 ahead and needing five wickets to get over the line but left without a ball being bowled. They have all but eliminated the concept of the draw since captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum ushered in the ‘Bazball’ era more than a year ago, but – for the first time in 17 games at the helm – conditions finally left them with no cards to play.

After weeks of blockbuster entertainment in the closest, most exciting Ashes contest since 2005, a shootout for glory at the Oval next week was on the cards if there had been enough time for England to convert their dominance. Instead, dreams of a stirring comeback to beat their rivals for the first time since 2015 were swept away, leaving the holders to retain in circumstances that will surely ring hollow.

Follow reaction from day five at Old Trafford as England face Australia:

England vs Australia - fourth Ashes Test, day five

• Fourth Test ends in a draw with no play possible on day five

• Australia retain the Ashes, 2-1 up with only one Test to play

• England look to beat Australia and the weather in race to win fourth Test at Old Trafford

• England require five wickets to square Ashes series heading to final Test at the Oval next week

• Australia, leading the series 2-1, retain the urn with a draw in Manchester

• STUMPS on day 4: No play possible in the evening session as Australia close day four on 214-5 (trailing by 61)

• The agony and ecstasy of Jonny Bairstow’s 99 not out

Ben Stokes also has a chat with Sky Sports

17:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“It’s a tough one to take. Playing the cricket we managed to play over the first few days, to get on the wrong side of the weather is a tough one. But it’s all part of the journey.

“I think coming into this game, knowing what we needed to do and the task at hand played into our hands a bit. It was another do or die game for us. I don’t think we could have done too much more. It will be one of those that will be tough to look back on.

“We’ve got one more game in the series, like in 2019, when we ended up coming back to 2-2 to tie the series. We’ve got a lot of pride to play for in the next game.

“The injury to Popey made us have to think about the structure of our team, and Woakesy offers so much with the ball and bat down the order. It’s great seeing lads come in who didn’t start the series come in and do so well. I’ve been very vocal about Zak - I pick players for what they can do on their best days. What Zak does at the top of the order is he changes games. That innings this week was just incredible. We’ve known that an innings like that was never far away. It just shows what you can do if you back players.

[On Stuart Broad] “It’s amazing. Him and Jimmy have been amazing examples of international sportsmen. Broady loves the battle, and he also loves playing against Australia. It’s amazing to have someone like Stuart Broad in your team. You know you are only around the corner from one of those crazy spells.”

Zak Crawley is the player of the match

17:39 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“It’s pretty flat up there,” the England opener says to Sky Sports. “We were in a position to win the game but unfortunately the weather came. We are disappointed.

“I thik the fact that we played a lot of good cricket to put ourselves in a position to win on day three, it’s disappointing.

“Considering the importance of the match, it has to be my favourite [innings for England]. I was very pleased with how I played, I rode my luck at times but I was pleased with how I played. I’ve felt in good touch all series but hadn’t quite had that big score yet. I felt like it was coming.”

Australia retain the Ashes after fourth Test ends in a draw

17:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle

England’s hopes of setting up a winner-takes-all Ashes decider were wiped out by the Manchester weather, with a fifth day washout in the fourth Test handing the urn to Australia.

The most pessimistic forecasts came to pass at Emirates Old Trafford as relentless rain meant the players never made it to the middle, salvaging a draw for the tourists and rendering their 2-1 series lead unassailable.

England arrived 61 ahead and needing five wickets to get over the line but left without a ball being bowled.

Australia retain Ashes as fourth Test ends in draw following day-five washout

Australia retain the Ashes after fourth Test ends in a draw

17:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle

So this outstanding series won’t get the decider it probably deserved, but I doubt either side will let the intensity drop at the Oval. Australia are desperate to right the wrongs of four years ago when they rather ceded the fifth Test to an inferior English side - with many of the same faces back for more, but a number knowing this might be their last shot, they’ll rather fancy a real go first series win on these shores since 2001. England, meanwhile, will dry themselves off and get ready for a second attempt at squaring things up.

Australia retain the Ashes after fourth Test ends in a draw

17:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

I don’t think there will be any champagne corks popping in the Australian dressing room tonight - the rain has come to their aid and left their lead unassailable with just next week’s encounter at the Oval to come. It’s not the way they’d have liked to do it, but a weekend washout always looked a possibility. For the first time since Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes were installed as coach and captain, England have drawn a Test.

AUSTRALIA RETAIN THE ASHES

17:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle

And that sorry, soggy end leaves Australia 2-1 up with one Test to play - the urn remains in the tourists’ hands.

PLAY ABANDONED

17:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The plug has been pulled - that is, officially, that. The fourth Test ends in a draw with no play possible on day five.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

17:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The suggestion on Sky Sports is that the umpires will soon be gathering with the groundstaff for a discussion, which, given it continues to hoon it down, should be brief.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

17:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Still the rain comes down with no decree of a drenched denouement. It surely can’t be long before the exequies.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

16:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It is now also raining in Trinidad, if that makes you feel any better, putting a halt to India’s rollicking start to the second innings.

The last few fans are filing out of Old Trafford. Pat Cummins and Andrew McDonald are together on the Australia balcony, captain and coach having a chat with Joel Wilson, now sans shades.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

16:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It really is a soggy, sorrowful scene. I don’t reckon we are at all far away from an official communiqué of this Test’s conclusion.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

16:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle

There are more puddles than people in the Old Trafford party stand. The forecast, if anything, is getting worse, with rain now due to continue right up to about 7pm. Were this not a potentially Ashes-deciding abandonment, I fancy the umpires might already have called it.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

16:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

16:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle

I wonder if the urn floats. Perhaps, to pass the time, both teams could be challenged with crafting a raft of some kind upon which the post-match presentations can be conducted.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

15:54 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

15:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The rain is getting heavier. The super soppers have been turned off, their operators having retired into the dry. England’s faces turn ever more glum.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

15:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle

And it’s about as bleak as one of L.S. Lowry’s seascapes out there:

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

15:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Presuming they don’t get back out there, England’s run without a Test win against Australia at Old Trafford will have extended to 50 years come their next visit to these parts, with no Manchester Test scheduled in the 2027 series - at least as things stand.

Mayors urge ECB to reconsider its northern snub for 2027 men’s Ashes series

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

15:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Those patches of liquid on the outfield continue to swell as the saturated outfield continues to take a pounding. The umpires, obviously, will give it as long as possible to make a call, and there is the prospect of less wet weather later, but that scintilla of hope when a start time of 1pm was set earlier feels very, very distant now.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

15:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Elsewhere in the sporting world, France’s Leon Marchand has broken the world record for the 400m individual medley, previously held by a certain Michael Phelps. How quickly can they get to Manchester? A duel in a pool is looking likelier than any competitive cricket right now.

They are playing at Hoylake, though, and Rory McIlroy is on the charge...

The Open 2023 LIVE: Leaderboard and latest golf updates today from Hoylake

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

14:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Action is underway in Trinidad, where India have taken two in two overs to start day four and plunge West Indies into a bit of bother at 243/7 - though they have just avoided having to follow on, and forcing a result may not be straightforward for India on a slow pitch.

England would love to even have a chance to. Puddles are forming on the Old Trafford outfield.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

14:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

England, of course, haven’t yet drawn a Test under the McCullum/Stokes regime. It’s feeling ever more likely that the run of results is coming to an end.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

14:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle

This really is such a shame for this brilliant series. I don’t reckon this Test is long for the world - still the rain comes down with frustrating persistence. Only a sodden few spectators remain, with plenty starting their journeys home.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

14:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The rain is coming down hard and it’s looking dark. England’s chances of keeping the Ashes alive are washing away...

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

14:08 , Luke Baker

Still raining in Manchester. England’s players were out playing football on the pitch earlier but have headed in, looking drenched, in truth...

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

13:33 , Luke Baker

It’s still raining at Old Trafford - so there are no real updates to bring you, I’m afraid. We basically need the rain to stop, then the slightly arduous process of pitch inspections, proposed start times etc can begin in earnest.

The forecasts are looking slightly better for this afternoon, so still some hope hanging around.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

13:05 , Luke Baker

Us too Ben, us too...

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

12:42 , Luke Baker

Jonny Bairstow was out practising his wicketkeeping earlier (keep your ‘he needs it’ gags to yourself, please...) and then signed some autographs on his way back to the dressing room. Good egg.

Rain

12:22 , Sonia Twigg

Just as that period of optimism came, the rain has started falling again. It’s not hard, but it is there.

Although Jonny Bairstow is still out in the middle practising his keeping.

But more covers are just being brought on.

Sonia Twigg at Old Trafford

12:19 , Sonia Twigg

Good news cricket fans, barring any more rain, there are plans for a 1pm start.

Hopefully we will get a result today, and all weather apps are being consulted.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

11:54 , Luke Baker

As Sonia says, the rain appears to have stopped and hope springs eternal at Old Trafford with that 12.15pm inspection to look forward to.

On TMS, Jonathan Agnew is cautiously optimistic: “This is the best it’s looked. There are clouds around but they are nicer clouds and they’re broken. It’s looking good and there’s another umbrella that has come down from the stewards.”

The groundstaff have removed the first of the covers to mighty cheers and the wind has died down as well... I don’t want to get too ahead of myself but some live play early this afternoon? Maybe around 1.15pm?

Sonia Twigg at Old Trafford

11:52 , Sonia Twigg

The rain has stopped, and there will be a pitch inspection at 12.15.

In order to try and get play to start, lunch will be taken from 12.20 to 1pm, unless there is further rain.

Sonia Twigg at Old Trafford

11:40 , Sonia Twigg

The rain looks to have stopped, but who knows for how long and the pitch will now be very wet.

Hopefully the clean up operation will be quick.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

11:37 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Still set steady, I’m afraid. This chap has come braced for a deluge.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

11:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Joe Root has been doing some musing on the wireless. “It doesn’t get dark here in England until 10pm in the summer, why can’t we just play until we bowl the overs?,” the batter said on BBC’s Test Match Special, advocating for more flexibility in the playing regulations to allow a greater chance of play. “There’s been a lot of chat about not bowling the overs.

“There are so many different ways of trying to find opportunities to get as much play in as possible. At every opportunity at every stage you should be looking to find ways to get the Test on. We batted in worse conditions at Edgbaston, but that is cricket. You just want consistency in those conditions.”

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

11:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Word from the ground suggests that the rain may be easing - one of the many weather apps I’ve got open indicates a possible pause for an hour and a half or so, which might just be long enough to get some cricket. But that outfield really did a soaking overnight.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

10:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Here is the wider forecast for today. In a word: grim.

Rainy weather batters UK as millions take to roads for start of summer holidays

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

10:56 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Perhaps it is the pessimistic pluviophile in me that feels now is an appropriate time to point out that the long-range forecast for next week’s Test at the Oval isn’t particularly pretty, either. The inspection planned for 11am has been pushed back indefinitely, obviously, while we wait for the rain to stop falling.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

10:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle

This doesn’t look particularly promising, Sky’s pundits getting a soaking even with their umbrellas up. England, and Brendon McCullum particularly, will remain optimistic, though - at least if Stuart Broad’s column in the Mail on Sunday is anything to go by.

“We probably had the most perfect first three days we could have wished for at the start, put in a pretty incredible performance to get eight wickets on day one, then played outrageously to get so far ahead of the game on day two,” the England seamer writes. “Now, we just need a bit of luck from the Manchester weather gods.

“Sitting in the changing room watching the rain fall on Saturday, there was a feeling it would be unjust if the weather had a decisive say because it’s been such an incredible few weeks to be a part of. It would be such a damp squib, such an unemotional way for a series between two great rivals to be defined.

“But Brendon McCullum has come up with a phrase this week to keep us calm. We were due to play a bit of golf on Tuesday and in the afternoon the forecast was horrendous, but he said to me: ‘Boss, we’re too lucky to get wet.’

“Guess what. There was much less rain than we thought. Saturday lunchtime, he was lying down doing the crossword and said: ‘Boss, we’re too lucky for it to rain all day.’

“He was right again. Now we just need another window to open to complete the job on Sunday.”

Yesterday’s centurion Marnus Labuschagne speaks to Sky Sports

10:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“All the apps are out, all giving a different signal. We’ll have to play it out as it happens live. That’s what we did yesterday, and that’s what we did well. We came here ready to play and whatever play we did have we tried to play as well as possible.

“I’ve been pretty clear that I’ve felt like I’m building, like my technique is in a pretty good space. Especially coming off of the first innings in this game, coming in I felt really confident with how I was moving. I felt like I was back making really good decisions, leaving the ball outside off and back playing the way I play.

“I’ve always said I want to be adaptable and able to change, but sometimes in that you get a bit lost and need to find your way back. It’s nice to be able to do that mid-series. From where I was at Edgbaston to now, I’m a different player.

“We tried to put a bit of pressure back on England. I think the key for us is to keep playing positively and try to bring that deficit down. It was the first time [me and Mitch Marsh] had batted together, and he batted beautifully. Even when Mark Wood was reversing that ball, and he just hit the middle of the bat with a high backlift. Hopefully he can show a bit more of that for us today.

“I think it is about batting with confidence and intent, getting that mixture right. Taking the game on when you feel like there is an opportunity, because once that deficit goes and we get the lead up to 100, it takes a lot time out of the game. If you just try and survive, that’s where you get in trouble.

“I’ve got a bit of a bittersweet feeling about retaining the Ashes. We haven’t come to retain it, we’ve come to win it - it would be nice to retain it today but our sole focus will then switch to winning the game at the Oval.”

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

10:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Yep, there’s been an appreciable intensification - the groundstaff are covering up the bowlers’ run-ups. That 11am inspection might have to be pushed back.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

10:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Joe Root wasn’t particularly keen to talk about his grab bag of spinning all-sorts, but he managed to cause plenty of problems last night, working through his array of variations including a beaut of an old-school arm ball fired through off his index finger to nearly have Marnus Labuschagne caught at slip. I think it should be bright enough for England to have use of their seamers if we do start in a little bit, and the new nut is only nine overs away.

Martin Saggers, the fourth umpire, is out there for a conflab with the groundstaff, the point of his umbrella poking through the soft surface. Not for long, though - I fear Saggers may be lifting that brolly overhead as a few spits and spots start to fall.

And Sky Sports collar Joe Root for a quick chat on his way in

10:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“This is a nice sign,” Root says, gazing up at currently dry skies. “Hopefully we can get a little bit lucky and it will skirt around us.

“We’ve played somewhere near our best cricket. I thought it was a brilliant effort on Day One, and then Zak led the way exceptionally well. We knew rain was a possibility lateer in the game so it was sort of mapped out for us what we had to do. We’ve got ourselves in a strong position. It would be a little bit of a shame if we don’t get out there today. If we get out there, we’ll throw everything at it as we have done all week and hopefully that will be enough.

“It was really good to see. Jonny has obviously had his critics this summer and things haven’t gone the way he’d have wanted, but he was right at his very best against a very good attack. I just dream of being able to hit it like that.

“We were trying to give ourselves every opportunity to get a result in this game. It’s what we’ve been doing in the last 18 months, and I think our execution in this game has been the best throughout the summer in that respect. We were quite smart in how we went about it, managed different passages well. We took calculated risks at the right time.”

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

10:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ben Stokes is in the building, striding in alongside Brendon McCullum, umbrella down by his side. The groundstaff are hard at work with the rope, sweeping around the outfield to try and get rid of any surface water. We did manage to get going pretty quickly after the rain relented yesterday.

In come the rest of the England squad, posing for photos with a small band of optimistic supporters in early.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

10:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The north of England and Scotland are covered in a big blue blob on the rain radar, a patch of precipitation predicted to linger and threatening the possibility of play. It had just been blown further north than anticipated this morning, but the forecasts I’m looking at suggest it could soon be nudging down over the top of Old Trafford, with a bit of moisture in the air.

Sonia Twigg at Old Trafford

10:06 , Sonia Twigg

It seems slightly unlikely we will have a prompt start, with a pitch inspection due for 11am.

This is due to a wet outfield after the heavy rain overnight, but England will be keen to get out there for as much of today as possible.

Sonia Twigg at Old Trafford

10:05 , Sonia Twigg

The good news for cricket fans is that it is not currently raining and Old Trafford, but we are more than an hour away from play and whichever forecast you look at, it’s not overly optimistic.

Another point of contention is that there have been 26 overs lost in the first three days, so before any weather interruption, that has undoubtedly affected England’s chances of wrapping this up quickly.

During the 2 hours 15 minutes of play that were possible on Saturday, Australia continued in their attempts to slow the game down, calling for towels and drinks and regular changes of gloves, before the light limited England to just bowling spin.

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

10:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A very good morning, weather watchers - it’s another day where England will be turning anxious eyes to the skies over Old Trafford, hoping that the rain holds off for long enough for allow them to square the series. Australia will begin today 61 in arrears with five wickets in hand - and there’s semi-positive early news to bring you from a dark and dreary Manchester...

England vs Australia Fourth Test odds

09:53 , Luke Baker

The draw is the most likely result today, according to the bookies.

England vs Australia Fourth Test odds (via Betfair)

• England - 7/4

• Draw - 4/9

• Australia - 100/1

The Ashes weather: Rain threatens England hopes of victory in Manchester

09:40 , Luke Baker

England’s hopes of levelling the Ashes against Australia rest on the weather surrounding the Manchester area.

The forecast suggests plenty of rain on Sunday throughout day five at Old Trafford as Ben Stokes’ side push for five wickets to secure victory.

Australia, meanwhile, know a draw here, given they are 2-1 up in the series, will see them retain the Ashes as holders heading back to London for the fifth and final Test at the Oval.

Ashes weather forecast as rain threatens England hopes in Manchester

‘It was a bonus’: England edge closer to fourth Test win with Ashes in the balance

09:27 , Luke Baker

The weather that everyone had feared did not have as devastating an effect as first thought on day four of the crucial Old Trafford Test match, but England’s hopes of levelling the series have still been dealt a cruel blow.

At one point it looked like there would be no play possible on Saturday, but England and Australia managed to get out onto the field for two hours 15 minutes.

It proved enough time for Joe Root to claim the key wicket of Marnus Labuschagne. Ben Stokes chose to successfully overturn the on-field decision of not out, but it was after he had already scored a century.

England batting coach Marcus Trescothick even admitted there was more cricket played than they had first thought.

“We weren’t expecting much play today so to get what we did was a little bit of a bonus really,” he said.

“So fingers crossed, overnight and coming into tomorrow, it changes a little bit and we get a few more hours in that potentially what it’s looking like. But we’ll have to wait and see.”

Sonia Twigg’s report from yesterday at the Ashes:

‘It was a bonus’: England edge closer to fourth Test win with Ashes in the balance

Joe Root gives England faint hope as rain and Marnus Labuschagne frustrate hosts

09:25 , Luke Baker

England’s prospects of levelling the Ashes were just about alive after Joe Root claimed the only wicket of a rain-ruined fourth day at Emirates Old Trafford.

Just 30 overs were possible during a gloomy afternoon, with the morning and evening sessions wiped out by the weather, as Australia finished 61 runs behind on 214 for five.

With the forecast dreadful again for the fifth and final day, England badly needed to make inroads but hit a brick wall as Marnus Labuschagne converted his overnight 44 into a vital 111.

Labuschagne has had a lean series by his own high standards but stepped up for his side to nudge them closer to the draw that would guarantee the urn joins them on the flight back to Australia.

At 2-1 down England need to find a way through the showers to square the ledger and force a decider at the Oval next week.

Joe Root gives England faint hope as rain and Marnus Labuschagne frustrate hosts

The Ashes 2023: Fourth Test, day five

Saturday 22 July 2023 17:52 , Jack Rathborn

The Ashes edges closer to a conclusion on day five of the fourth Test at Old Trafford with England chasing victory to tie the series and keep alive hopes of winning back the urn.

While Australia hope to dig in or obtain help from the weather to grind out a draw and retain a 2-1 series lead heading back to London with the fifth and final Test at the Oval.

Ben Stokes’ side are pushing hard for five more wickets in this rain-impacted fourth Test, and the forecast is not encouraging for the hosts on Sunday either.

Follow live updates throughout a tense finale to this Test match with England eager to hit Australia hard in the spells of play they are afforded.