England avoid follow-on in Ashes finale, England avoided the follow-on in the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia at The Oval on Sunday's last day to all but guarantee the match ends in a draw.
After the whole of Saturday's fourth day was washed out, England -- who at 3-0 up had already retained the Ashes and won the five-match series -- resumed on 247 for four.
That left them 245 runs behind Australia's first innings 492 for nine declared and still needing a further 46 runs to avoid the follow-on.
Following the early loss Sunday of Chris Woakes, in-form batsman Ian Bell -- bidding to become only the fourth man to score four hundreds in an Ashes series -- and Matt Prior held firm, with wicketkeeper Prior's two through midwicket off Peter Siddle taking England to their initial target of 293.
It all reduced the time available to Australia to take the 15 wickets they now needed to force victory and so avoid their first Ashes series without winning a Test since they lost 3-0 in England in 1977.
After the whole of Saturday's fourth day was washed out, England -- who at 3-0 up had already retained the Ashes and won the five-match series -- resumed on 247 for four.
That left them 245 runs behind Australia's first innings 492 for nine declared and still needing a further 46 runs to avoid the follow-on.
Following the early loss Sunday of Chris Woakes, in-form batsman Ian Bell -- bidding to become only the fourth man to score four hundreds in an Ashes series -- and Matt Prior held firm, with wicketkeeper Prior's two through midwicket off Peter Siddle taking England to their initial target of 293.
It all reduced the time available to Australia to take the 15 wickets they now needed to force victory and so avoid their first Ashes series without winning a Test since they lost 3-0 in England in 1977.
