As rain washed out the fifth and final day of play in Manchester during the fourth Test, England lost their chance to potentially win the Ashes 2023. Australia continue to hold an unassailable 2-1 lead and English unit can only hope to end the five-match series in a draw now
The fifth Test starts from Thursday at The Oval in London.
Australia were certainly on the back foot when the rain played a spoilsport in the fourth Test. It came as a blessing for the Aussies, for whom a draw in the fifth game will be enough to claim the series.
If that actually happens, Australia will win the Ashes on English soil for the first time since 2001.
Batting first in the fourth Test, Australia were bowled out for 317. The English batting department appeared in red-hot form in their first innings though.
As many as five batters notched up a half-century while one scored a big hundred, helping the hosts post a mammoth 592 runs.
Opener Zak Crawley led the run-fest, scoring a 182-ball 189, a knock that comprised 21 fours and three sixes.
Australia once again faced a batting collapse in their second innings. They had lost five wickets at 214 runs when the match was called off on Day 5 due to heavy showers.
Pitch Report
The wicket at The Oval is known for providing one of the best batting-friendly surfaces in England. So, expect England’s Bazball in all its glory.
Australia have recently played the World Test Championship (WTC) final at this venue and picked up a dominant 209-run victory over India. Australia batted first in the game and scored 469 runs, while the average first-innings score here is nearly 320. Looking at the red-ball encounters hosted at the Oval over the last decade, the team batting first won almost sixty percent of the games.
Weather Forecast
After what happened in the fourth Test, the unpredictable weather conditions in England have become a major concern ahead of the fifth game. According to reports, rain could play a role on the opening day at the Oval as there is a 70 percent possibility.
However, things can get better on the second day and beyond. On the final two days, there is a 40 percent chance of light showers. During these five days, the temperature will hover around 15-20 degrees Celsius, while the humidity is anticipated to be almost 75 percent.
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