The outpouring of grief and sympathy towards Ben Stokes’ team following their failure to keep the Ashes alive at Old Trafford has been somewhat unprecedented.
Persistent rain over the weekend meant only 30 overs were possible on Day IV and none on Sunday as England couldn’t force a victory despite an inspirational display which Stokes described as “pretty much perfect throughout”. A draw meant Australia will retain the Urn even if England win at The Oval to make it 2-2.
It was not the first time the fickle weather in England played truant with visiting teams having been at the receiving end on several occasions. India were robbed of what looked an imminent victory at Nottingham during the 2021 series.
Virat Kohli’s men, needing 209 to go 1-0 up in the five-match series, were 52/1 at stumps on the fourth day. A steady drizzle ruined the final day’s play much to England’s relief.
The Ashes uproar could trigger the debate on whether the Sourav Ganguly-led cricket committee of the International Cricket Council should consider the introduction of a reserve day keeping in mind the significance of the World Test Championship (WTC) points.
The WTC final has a scheduled reserve day, giving more credence to its implementation across all Test matches. The rules state that the reserve day will be used only if play has been lost due to bad weather across the regular five days and they are unable to make up for it in those five days, and no result has been reached by the end of Day V.
New Zealand benefited from it on the reserve day during the inaugural WTC final in Southampton, 2021. Play was washed out on the first and fourth days forcing the proceedings to be carried over to the sixth day.
India could add only 106 runs to their overnight total, losing their remaining eight wickets in the process. New Zealand easily chased down the 139-run target in 45.5 overs.
While Stokes’ men have been crying foul, they would do well to remember that rain in Sydney had come to their rescue, preventing a 5-0 whitewash during the last Ashes Down Under. England hung on by one wicket on the final day as Pat Cummins’ men won 4-0.
Stokes though doesn’t favour a reserve day. “I probably wouldn’t be on the side of saying there should be reserve days. Test cricket is five days,” Stokes told the media in Manchester.
“I understand there being a reserve day for the World Test Championship final as you want a winner at the end of that, but I don’t see there being a reserve day in a Test series. It was a frustrating day when the weather dictates the outcome of a game. It’s a shame. The draw was not a fault of our own,” the England captain said.
As England were made to repent some of the wasted opportunities and decisions made in the series, the players also raised gripes about rigid start and finish timings besides frustrations with over-rates.
Joe Root was in favour of a late finish though it might not work in other parts of the world.
“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 former captain asked. “There are so many different ways of trying to find opportunities to get as much play in as possible.”
England have routinely sacked captains and coaches following Ashes debacles but both Brendon McCullum and Stokes could consider themselves lucky to effectively retain their positions.
Bazball’s brand of cricket could largely be responsible for their fate but the bitter truth remains that England surrendered their positions of strength in the first two Tests for some eye-catching cricket.
The Old Trafford stalemate was the first drawn Test in Stokes’ leadership regime and only a reserve day could have helped the side keep the Ashes fever intact at The Oval.
