The Albany Gazette - Australia captain Cummins eyes series win as Ashes retained

Persistent rain in Manchester meant no play was possible on Sunday's final day of the fourth Test, with England denied the chance of a series-levelling win in a match they had dominated.

The result ensured Australia, as the holders, kept the Ashes at 2-1 up with one match left in the series -- regardless of the result of the fifth Test at The Oval starting Thursday.

Even so, Australia will still have to avoid defeat in London if they are to secure their first Ashes series win in England since 2001.

"It is a bit of a strange one," Cummins told reporters. "As a group proud we have retained the Ashes but it has not been our greatest week.

"It's good that we have retained but we know we have a fair bit of work to do for next week."

The fast bowler added: "It is a pretty similar group to 2019 when we retained (the Ashes in England in a 2-2 draw) and we came away feeling OK, but it felt a bit like we had missed what we came over to achieve.

"In some regards whatever happened today, it wouldn't really change how we view next week –- we want to win (the series)."

Australia finished on 214-5 in their second innings, 61 runs behind England's first-innings 592, after Marnus Labuschagne kept the hosts at bay on Saturday with 111.

England restricted world Test champions Australia to 317 in their first innings before racing to 592 all out, thanks largely to player-of-the-match Zak Crawley's breathtaking 189 and an unbeaten 99 from Jonny Bairstow.

Cummins said he hadn't "bowled very well at all" during a return of 1-129 in 23 overs -- the most expensive haul of his Test career.

He also conceded England's aggressive 'Bazball' batting had also made life tough for him tactically as a captain in the field.

"We knew we would get a couple of those sorts of days against this England team," said Cummins.

"I felt like they were in control for some stages of the game, that isn't uncommon whoever the opponents, but it's about trying to wrestle back some control.

"We tried to throw a few plans at them and on another day they might have worked but, in all facets, we just weren't at our best this week and they (England) played really well."

Asked how Australia might celebrate retaining the Ashes, Cummins replied: "There won't be huge celebrations –- maybe a bit of a pat on the back for retaining...But there is a Test in three days so muted (celebrations)."

(B.Hartmann--BBZ)