The Ashes: Australian media reaction to retaining urn against England

A "hollow" Ashes occurrence oregon a deserved triumph implicit "bellyaching" England?

The champion England tin anticipation for is triumph successful the last Test astatine The Oval to gully the five-match bid 2-2, but Australia's presumption arsenic existent holders means they volition stay successful possession of the Ashes.

There was a modicum of sympathy for the aged force successful immoderate quarters of the Australian media, but determination were besides those who took purpose astatine England's tactics, with the attacking 'Bazball' attack coming successful for peculiar criticism.

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'Baz shot is not ending satellite hunger oregon reinventing the wheel'

Ben Horne's file successful the Herald Sun had small sympathy for England

Writing successful the Herald Sun, Ben Horne had small clip for sympathy.

"It's hard to archer erstwhile the rainfall stopped and the tears started but this overmuch is definite - England's Ashes bellyaching has conscionable go excessively much," helium wrote, insisting that the location broadside lone person themselves to blasted for throwing distant bully positions successful the archetypal 2 Test matches.

"The champion happening astir this enthralling series, by far, has been Baz Ball. It is captivating and brilliant. But the astir tedious happening has been however successful emotion England are with themselves astir Bazball.

"Scoring runs astatine 7 an implicit is breathtaking to watch, but it's not ending satellite hunger oregon reinventing the instrumentality and astatine immoderate constituent England needs to look the information that for each their trailblazing bravado, they have, for the 2nd clip running, failed to triumph the Ashes connected location soil."

'Dismal way' for Ashes to beryllium retained

Some Australia fans braved the Manchester rainfall to observe aft it was confirmed the Ashes would stay successful Australian hands

Malcolm Conn successful the Sydney Morning Herald was much sympathetic fixed Australia's perilous presumption successful the Fourth Test earlier the rainfall arrived, though helium did not spare England from criticism.

"Rarely could the Ashes person been secured successful much hollow circumstances, with astir 2 days of rainfall redeeming Australia from what appeared definite defeat," helium wrote.

"Despite being robbed of triumph by the weather, England person lone themselves to blasted for being connected the incorrect broadside of history.

"It could person been truthful different. England were successful complaint of the archetypal Test astatine Edgbaston earlier the cult of Bazball resulted successful an overoptimistic declaration and reckless batting. This opened the doorway for Australia to snatch a melodramatic two-wicket triumph and power the series."

Writing in the Australian, Gideon Haigh felt England had learned from their mistakes successful the archetypal 2 Tests and this was a "dismal way" for the destiny of the Ashes to beryllium decided.

"The phantasy of two-all going to The Oval had been enchanting to some sets of fans; lone the dimmest partisans truthful crave trophies arsenic to beryllium gratified by non-results," helium wrote.

"Let's spot what happens astatine The Oval, of course, but determination is simply a bully statement that England volition extremity this bid a amended squad than erstwhile they began and Australia a small poorer. Certainly the spread betwixt the teams that yawned successful 2021-22 has been decidedly narrowed."

'A bid you'd beryllium blessed to person spell connected forever'

The normal of having the holder of the Ashes clasp the urn successful the lawsuit of a drawn bid needs re-assessing, according to immoderate sections of the Australian media.

"Unlike others, I tin admit the worth of a gritty, determined gully that feels arsenic bully arsenic a victory. This is the unsocial quality of Test cricket, and it shouldn't beryllium disturbed," wrote Andrew Webster successful the Sydney Morning Herald.

"But if determination is 1 anachronistic edict that indispensable change, it's retaining a bid simply due to the fact that you've won it before.

"First, it gives the squad that won the past bid an unfair advantage, prompting the broadside to play antiaircraft cricket. Second, it tin termination disconnected the bid earlier it's over, similar we've seen this weekend, making Tests aboriginal successful the bid dormant rubbers erstwhile they should beryllium rubbers afloat of vim and verve and a full scope of words starting with 'v'."

Gideon Haigh agreed, adding: "Perhaps it is clip to revisit this custom, to marque proviso for the Ashes to beryllium shared. Looking retired implicit a bittersweet and atrocious Old Trafford yesterday, it hardly felt arsenic though Australia had rather 'won' the Ashes this summer, oregon that England had 'lost' them. On the contrary, it's been a bid you'd beryllium blessed to person had spell connected forever.

"But however to explicate to the uninitiated the Oval Test's weird hybrid character, of being 'live'' wherever the result of the bid is concerned, but 'dead' successful the discourse of the Ashes?

"I cognize cricket's not meant to marque sense. But it might, connected occasion, astatine slightest effort to bash so."