Ashish Ranjan
The ongoing Ashes has thus far been a riveting event. Throughout the English summer, England and Australia have been at loggerheads, with Australia currently holding a 2-1 advantage. Ben Stokes and company rebounded effectively at Headingley after losing consecutive matches at Edgbaston and Lord’s. However, there is still a great deal of work to be done, as Australia needs only one draw from the remaining two games to retain the coveted Ashes urn.
On Wednesday, July 19, the highly-anticipated fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester, commences. The weather forecast is not favourable for English supporters, as rain is predicted for all five days of the match. To keep the series alive and advance to the final Test at Kennington Oval in London, the home team must prevail. Under these conditions, England will not want rain delays to delay the fourth Test.
Ben Stokes, however, believes that a shortened match could encourage England to press harder for victory. The home team typically bats at a rapid run rate and strives to win every match. With rain in the forecast, Stokes believes his team will play more aggressively.
In the situation we find ourselves in, it may be necessary to examine the weather in greater detail than usual. Stokes was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying, “We are aware that we must win this match in order to advance to the final match and have a chance to reclaim the urn.”
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“Going into the last game, we were 2-0 down and knew we had to win. I believe that helped us a bit, and with the weather that’s predicted, we may have to stretch the game even further than usual. However, we will have to wait and see. If the weather forecast holds true, we may be forced to.”
Return of James Anderson for Fourth Test
James Anderson played in the first two Tests of the ongoing Ashes, but only took three wickets. The veteran was left off the squad for the third Test, but he will replace Ollie Robinson in the lineup for the forthcoming match in Manchester.
England’s Playing XI: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jonathan Bairstow (wk), Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
