The fifth and final Ashes test was heading towards a draw on Sunday after Saturday’s fourth day at The Oval was washed out by torrential rain.
England avoided the follow-on, reaching 350-7 at lunch on Sunday’s final day and losing three wickets, with Ian Bell scoring 45 before being caught behind by Brad Haddin off James Faulkner. Australia scored 492-9 in its first innings.
England have already won the Ashes with a 3-0 lead, and resumed their on 247-4. Bell and Chris Woakes scored briskly before the allrounder was caught by Michael Clarke for 25 off Ryan Harris and Stuart Broad was dismissed cheaply by Mitchell Starc. The morning session was cut short by half an hour.
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England wicketkeeper Matt Prior has had a poor Ashes with the bat, but was 35 not out at lunch with Graeme Swann on 24.
Scoreboard
England
Alastair Cook c Haddin b Harris 25
Joe Root c Watson b Lyon 68
Jonathan Trott lbw Starc 40
Kevin Pietersen c Watson b Starc 50
Ian Bell c Haddin b Faulkner 45
Chris Woakes c Clarke b Harris 25
Matt Prior not out 35
Stuart Broad b Starc 9
Graeme Swann not out 24
Extras- (11b, 10lb, 5w, 3nb) 29
TOTAL- (for seven wickets) 350
Overs- 137.
Fall of wickets- 1—68, 2—118, 3—176, 4—217, 5—269, 6—299, 7—315.
Still to bat- Simon Kerrigan, James Anderson.
Bowling- Mitchell Starc 33—5—92—3 (2nb, 2w), Ryan Harris 28—10—64—2 (1nb), James Faulkner 16—3—40—1, Peter Siddle 24—6—58—0 (1w for 3 runs), Nathan Lyon 28—8—59—1, Steven Smith 8—3—16—0.
Toss- won by Australia.
Series- England leads 3—0.
Umpires- Aleem Dar, Pakistan, and Kumar Dharmasena, Sri Lanka.
Third Umpire- Tony Hill, New Zealand. Match Referee- Roshan Mahanama, Sri Lanka.