South Africa preserve away record in Test series

South Africa 517 (Smith 234, de Villiers 164, Ajmal 6-151) beat Pakistan 99 (Tahir 5-32) & 326 (Shafiq 130, Duminy 3-67) by an innings and 92 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

South Africa's unbeaten run in Test series on the road will extend even further after their victory in Dubai, which allowed them to share the spoils of this two-match rubber with Pakistan. The last time South Africa lost a Test series abroad was in Sri Lanka in 2006. Since then, they have become the No. 1 ranked Test team and they will stay there, but their lead will be cut by four points by virtue of the drawn series.

Pakistan have risen to No. 4, thanks to their victory in Abu Dhabi, but were unable to protect fortress UAE, losing in their adopted home for the first time since moving here in 2010. They went down fighting though, with Asad Shafiq notching up his highest score in Test cricket and sharing in a 197-run fifth wicket stand with Misbah-ul-Haq, which kept South Africa in the field for much longer than they would have anticipated.

On the fourth evening, AB de Villiers said the team felt they were one wicket away from running through Pakistan. That dismissal came 20 minutes before tea as Misbah, who had treated South Africa's attack with the caution of someone handling a shipment of crystal glasses, gifted Dean Elgar, the part-time spinner, his first Test wicket. In Elgar's second over, Misbah attempted to slog him out of the park, but got a thick outside edge which Jacques Kallis collected at first slip.

That ended a vigil in which Misbah had ushered Shafiq to his second century against this opposition, and the fourth of his career, and seen off the second new ball to put Pakistan in a position to frustrate South Africa even further. They had only one wicket-taking opportunity before Misbah's lapse in concentration, when Shafiq was given out lbw in the fifth over to a Vernon Philander delivery that pitched on leg-stump and hit him on the front pad. He was on 36 at the time and reviewed with replays showing the ball would have missed leg stump.

Shafiq survived and went on to play a balanced innings combining defence with attack, particularly against the spinners. His footwork against Imran Tahir and JP Duminy was excellent, typified by the shot of the day - a spank over midwicket off Tahir.

Misbah was more stoic, nudging the ball into spaces and encouraging Shafiq to keep the scoreboard moving, but not too quickly. They both brought up half-centuries off 121 balls before slowing down as the second new ball came. Once comfortable against it, Shafiq pushed past his captain after lunch. He danced into the nineties with a boundary off Duminy and brought up his century with a square drive off a full and wide ball from the same bowler. Encouragingly for Pakistan, once the milestone had been reached, Shafiq kept going.

Misbah will be furious that he did not do the same. Although South Africa's attack did not lapse into the lazy short-ball showing they put on in Abu Dhabi, they seemed to be running out of ideas. After trying everything from having two short midwickets in against the spinners - between whom Shafiq threaded the ball through - to having two short covers in for the quicks, Smith turned to Elgar to buy time.

Smith would probably not have imagined getting a wicket off the tactic, Elgar's delivery was innocuous as well, but once Misbah ran out of patience, the result was a foregone conclusion. Pakistan's tail proved pesky to remove even though they were without Zulfiqar Babar, who did not bat because of the torn webbing on his right hand.

With a ball short of 10 overs remaining in the day, Shafiq, after resisting for seven hours, was stumped off JP Duminy, to give him the same number of wickets as Tahir in the innings - three.

On this day in 1952 Pakistan won their first Test, beating India in Lucknow. They did not have reason to celebrate on their anniversary but they did enjoy some positive signs as they dragged the Test late into the fourth afternoon and pushed South Africa as much as they could given their first innings failing.

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent

Feeds: Firdose Moonda © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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U of I Extension life enrichment series, Ford-Iroquois office

The life enrichment series following programs will be presented at the Ford Iroquois Extension Office at 916 W. Seminary Ave.

At 1 p.m. today — Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate? Most individuals have valued personal belongings. Participants explore ways to talk to family members about the difficult subject of distributing family items with emotional and sentimental value while still keeping relationships intact from Chelsey Byers, University of Illinois Extension family life educator.

At 10-11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8 — Baking Light. Easy tips and recipe replacements for better health from Leia Kedem, University of Illinois Extension family life educator.

At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8 — Cooking from Your Cabinet. Maximize your food dollar and avoid waste by cooking from your cabinet. Learn how to stock a healthy pantry, combine fresh ingredients with what you've got on hand, and how to repurpose leftovers in creative new ways from Leia Kedem, University of Illinois Extension family life educator.

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Eoin Morgan calls on Kevin Pietersen to lead by example during England's ODI series against Australia

With Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann all rested after a successful Ashes campaign, Morgan will lead some unfamiliar faces into battle against the tourists.

Given the lack of experience in the England line-up, Morgan has urged Pietersen to lead the way.

"Kev offers a hell of a lot as a senior player and as a batsman," Morgan said. "As a senior player he leads by example with the confidence with which he goes about his business. People rub off on that and that's crucial.

"When I first came into the team, he was one of the more senior players and he was a guy you could turn to and ask difficult questions or have no hesitation in turning to him for a positive option.

"In that regard, I think he's fantastic to have in the squad and back in for the one-day series."

Morgan stopped short of guaranteeing Pietersen the chance to open the batting against Australia in the absence of Bell and Test captain Cook, with the 33-year-old Surrey batsman's firebrand style potentially better employed futher down the order.

"It's certainly an option,” Morgan said. “Kev's opened the batting for England before and done well. He also bats in the middle-order as a very explosive player. He's very versatile in that regard so we'll be looking at both options."

Morgan said that whoever was selected to open the batting would be "filling big shoes".

"Cooky and Belly have been very successful now for a couple of years and they've been a huge part of our success as a one-day team," said the Irishman, who hit a century against Ireland in Dublin on Tuesday.

"With the two new balls in one-day cricket it makes that role more difficult now, so it's an important role and one that we recognise needs filling."

Sussex bowler Chris Jordan could make his England debut on Friday and Morgan says working alongside budding debutants has been the highlight of his captaincy so far.

"Those games in particular I've really enjoyed. The things I've most enjoyed about them has been handing out caps to debutants,” he said.

"It's fantastic to see guys being rewarded for a lot of hard work over a number of years and being rewarded by pulling the England shirt on and that makes me smile every day."

Edited by Michael Beattie

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ECB delays Sri Lanka summer Test series to make room for Indian Premier League

After years of friction, it seems the Indian Premier League is beginning to be accommodated by English cricket’s mandarins.

Usually, the summer’s two early Tests are begun in May which clashes with the denouement of the IPL.

But Giles Clarke, the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, is pushing for the primacy of Test cricket and this at least guarantees Sri Lanka players like Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene for the Test series if not the Twenty20 and one-day international series that precede it.

In the past, leading players from countries like Sri Lanka, New Zealand and West Indies, well remunerated by their IPL franchises but not their home board, have considered boycotting the May Tests in England.

This way affords them a full IPL and a full wallet, and playing conditions that should please all concerned.

The shift of white-ball inter­nationals to May means that any England-contracted players involved in the IPL may not have to return as early as they did in the past, when the stipulation for them was to play at least one four-day game with the red ball before the first Test.

Now, with the latest central contracts still to be negotiated, it looks like they might have to play as few as one T20 game for their counties which would give those involved in IPL, like Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan, at least an extra week’s earning power.

The extension of the Test series against India to five matches is also part of the ECB’s push to consolidate Test cricket as the game’s pinnacle.

Five Tests equals an ‘icon’ series and with England keen to set up another with South Africa in the near future – the Ashes having been long established – it looks like cricket’s top table is being laid for four.

Sri Lanka 2014 tour of England itinerary

May 20: T20, The Oval May 22: 1ST ODI, The Oval May 25: 2ND ODI, Chester-le-Street May 28: 3RD ODI, Old Trafford May 31: 4TH ODI, Lord's Jun 03: 5TH ODI, Edgbaston Jun 12-16: 1st TEST, Lord's un 20-24: 2ND TEST, Headingley

India 2014 tour of England itinerary

Jun 23: India team arrives in UK Jun 26-28: three-day tour match v Leicestershire, Leicester Jul 01-03: three-day tour match v Derbyshire, Derby Jul 09-13: 1ST TEST, Trent Bridge Jul 17-21: 2ND TEST, Lord's Jul 27-31: 3RD TEST, Rose Bowl Aug 07-11: 4TH TEST, Old Trafford Aug 15-19: 5TH TEST, The Oval Aug 22: 50-over match, v Middlesex, Lord's Aug 25: 1ST ODI, BristolAug 27: 2ND ODI, Cardiff Aug 30: 3RD ODI ,Trent Bridge Sep 02: 4TH ODI, Edgbaston Sep 05: 5TH ODI, Headingley Sep 07: T20, Edgbaston Sep 08: India team departs UK

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England team director Andy Flower deserves far better after Ashes series victory

But apparently England have possessed a negativity and, according to some, an arrogance that has irked. That charge of arrogance has been mainly made by Australians, which is side-splittingly funny in itself. One only had to listen to debutant James Faulkner upbraiding England’s first-innings batting at the Oval to confirm that.

England and Flower were not being arrogant in selecting Kerrigan and Woakes. Yes, the results of that selection were disappointing, but the rationale was hardly ridiculous.

They thought the pitch would spin like a top. They had summoned Kerrigan in case of that eventuality, with Woakes to accompany him, because a four-man attack, including a debutant, would have been too risky.

It might also be worth pointing out that Kerrigan actually has a better first-class bowling average, albeit in a much shorter career, than both Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar.

But a farce it was, apparently, and the subsequent condemnation merely continued a year of frustration with Flower and his team: from not enforcing the follow-on against New Zealand to accusations of a ban on Ashes talk, to outrages against the spirit of the game, to more negative cricket and interviews perceived as anodyne from all concerned, to finally the story that players had urinated on the Oval pitch during the Ashes celebrations.

There is little doubt that Flower’s relationship with the media has deteriorated significantly.

He is clearly wearied by the constant criticisms, often appearing prickly and increasingly reserved and, in turn, there are gripes about his accessibility and that of senior players.

I should stress that I have not heard or read one person calling for Flower’s head - although I reckon a few would have done so had he made comments anything like those delivered on radio by Australia coach Darren Lehmann about Broad.

They were simply disgraceful, but instead of the jovial Lehmann the Australian media has fixed it sights squarely on Flower, with the likes of arch Pom-baiter Malcolm Conn talking of his “command bunker mentality” and his players’ interviews being “as colourful as a concrete driveway”. It was little surprise that it was Conn who broke ‘Splashgate’.

Yes, that behaviour was poor but it was hardly a heinous crime. When England went to Australia in 2010-11, the local media were like pussycats, resigned to defeat from the outset. They have clearly decided to rectify that during these two Ashes series.

I spoke to Flower last week. It was an off-the-record chat between old mates, and he obviously would not reveal any thoughts about his future (“you are still a journo” he always says), but I do not think he will mind my revealing that what was striking were the similarities between him and Duncan Fletcher in his later days as England coach.

The Zimbabwean accent was the same but so, too, was the mood. What is remarkable is that Fletcher had just endured a 5-0 Ashes whitewash in 2007; Flower has just won 3-0. These truly are curious times.

The speculation about Flower’s future began during the Oval Test when it was first mentioned, buried deep, in an article on the Cricinfo website. Then there was a story in the Sunday People that Flower will stand down after this winter’s Ashes.

I think there is some truth in these stories. I do not know for certain, but it would be no huge surprise should he go after this winter’s Ashes.

However, the suggestion that his employers at the England and Wales Cricket Board feel “he has run his course” and want to move him on is frankly preposterous.

Flower will go of his own accord. In my 2012 book The Plan, about the transformation of English cricket overseen by Flower and Fletcher, I wrote that I could not see Flower lasting more than two years in his position. That was before his job-share with Giles, who will certainly replace him full-time in due course.

Back-to-back Ashes means that leading the Test team is a stressful and time-consuming job. And this summer has been especially traumatic with a relative of Flower’s suffering a stroke while on holiday.

Flower travelled abroad between the second and third Tests to help. Thankfully, a good recovery is being made.

Hugh Morris’s resignation has not affected Flower’s thoughts - Morris only told him during the Oval Test – although Flower will doubtless assess the identity of Morris’ successor, for whom the England and Wales Cricket Board is already searching, before making a final decision.

And we can rule out Flower replacing Morris. That will not happen. It is a job Flower could do, of course, but he would probably need some breathing space away first.

England will struggle mightily to find a better man than Flower, but, if this is to be his last series this winter, then maybe we should cherish him a little more.

The importance of the peripherals is being exaggerated. Flower has created a winning culture, and it is not anywhere near as blinkered and unfeeling as some suggest.

How about we enjoy what is still a golden era for English cricket?

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David Warner and Mitchell Starc left out of Australia squad for ODI series against England

“Like all selection matters, it was a tough decision, but like all players he understands the situation and knows he needs to get back to playing Ryobi Cup and making a heap of runs that we can’t ignore,” Lehmann said.

“I spoke with David at length about what he needs to do and I’ve been impressed with his attitude since I’ve come into the Australian setup.”

Warner might have been overshadowed in the T20s by Aaron Finch, whose 156 off 63 balls at the Ageas Bowl on Thursday was the stuff of hitting fantasy, but England’s bowlers will be pleased to see the back of him as he is also a dangerous batsman.

Suddenly, the prospective debuts of Jamie Overton, Chris Jordan and Boyd Rankin, opening bowlers all, just got a smidgen easier and England’s experimental squad does not look quite as vulnerable as it did.

England’s batsmen, too, will be more optimistic after the return home of Mitchell Starc, said to be suffering from lower back pain.

Starc lacks consistency but he possesses true magic in his ability to swing both the new and old ball at pace, something only Mitchell Johnson can do among the current group and then only during the transit of Venus.

Starc, who recovered from ankle surgery to make the Ashes tour, is the latest casualty in a line of Australian pace bowlers to suffer injuries this past year.

Pat Cummins, James Pattinson and Ryan Harris are also recovering from various ailments and along with Starc could be doubts for the first Ashes Test which begins in Brisbane on November 21.

The nub of the forthcoming five-match NatWest Series are an England side with fresh faces against an Australian side with fresh legs.

There will be some old hands in Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan, England’s captain, and Jonathan Trott to guide the greenhorns, but it will be an interesting exercise to see whether the England Performance Programme and the Lions can adequately prepare players for the big time.

There is a big prize at stake, even for older players such as Luke Wright and Michael Carberry.

The 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is just 18 months away and players excelling against Michael Clarke’s savvy and motivated side are likely to be looked upon favourably by selectors when they come to refine their choices over the coming year.

“It’s about taking your chance while some of the other players like Ian Bell, James Anderson and Stuart Broad are being rested,” said Wright, who last played international 50-over cricket in the 2011 World Cup.

“It’s a massive series for myself and Chris Jordan.

“It’s something we have worked towards for a long time. Since I got injured and lost my place I have been desperate to get back into it. It’s an opportunity to stake a claim.

“Ultimately, you want to be in that next squad when it comes to going to Australia and then each one going on to the World Cup. The only way to do that is to take your chance.”

Australia squad: Michael Clarke (capt), George Bailey, Fawad Ahmed, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Adam Voges, Matthew Wade (wkt), Shane Watson.

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All-round Pakistan hit back to take series

Pakistan 260 for 6 (Misbah 67, Shehzad 54, Chatara 3-48) beat Zimbabwe 152 (Waller 48, Ajmal 2-15, Rehman 2-23) by 108 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

A lot of expectations were heaped on Zimbabwe as they sat on the threshold of a rare series win against a top side, but they couldn't summon the temperament to beat Pakistan, who came from behind to win the series 2-1. While Zimbabwe's bowlers did well to restrict Pakistan to a par score of 260, the batsmen failed to put up a fight. Pakistan, in the process got a bogey off their backs by winning their first bilateral series in ten years after the series was leveled (either 1-1 or 2-2) going in to the decider.

The match took place on the backdrop of a payments dispute that threatened a Zimbabwe boycott. The players put the distraction aside to take the field, but the batsmen were nowhere close to competitive despite encouraging signs even in Thursday's defeat.

Brendan Taylor stuck by his faith that his side was better at chasing by putting Pakistan in to bat. The Pakistan openers, Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad, put on their best stand of the series - 66 - to set the platform for another big score. Pakistan suffered a blow when their in-form batsman, Mohammad Hafeez, hobbled off with a hamstring pull on 12. Hafeez had been Pakistan's attacking option at the top, but with him unavailable, it was down to Misbah-ul-Haq to shoulder the responsibility.

Shehzad couldn't replicate the fluency from the two T20s but rather than hit his way into form, chose to play a steady knock. Jamshed's dismissal impacted the run-rate as Pakistan struggled to find momentum in the middle overs. The boundaries had dried up and in the 32nd over, Shehzad broke a drought that lasted close to ten overs when he cut Sean Williams past the keeper. Shehzad consumed 81 balls for his fifty, showing the control the bowlers had over him. He perished trying to push on, lofting the part-timer Hamilton Masakadza straight to long-off.

Umar Amin batted positively in the batting Powerplay, taken after 35 overs, cutting and flicking Tendai Chatara for two boundaries in an over. He used his feet to Prosper Utseya, flicking him stylishly against the turn to deep midwicket and then over extra cover before the bowler struck back with a sharp return catch. Amin's 25-ball 33 infused some life into the innings that was craving for acceleration.

Misbah had plodded to 8 off 35 balls when he finally opened up, slogging Williams to deep midwicket to pick up his first boundary. He started to find the boundary regularly after the 43rd over, shuffling across his crease and punishing the length deliveries. With Sarfraz Ahmed showing some urgency, Pakistan scored their last fifty in just 28 balls. Misbah fell to a skier to deep midwicket after scoring his 11th half-century of the year. Hafeez returned in the penultimate over to salvage as many runs as possible and, fortunately for Pakistan, was swift between the wickets after resting his hamstring.

A total of 261 was competitive but Pakistan couldn't afford to relax, having failed to defend 245 in the first ODI. They introduced spin as early as the second over and Hafeez struck when Vusi Sibanda slogged him to deep midwicket where Amin took a running catch. Masakadza, like he did in the second ODI, showed a lot of promise with a couple of jaw-dropping boundaries off the seamers. Using the crease, he effortlessly lofted Junaid Khan over his head and the following ball pulled a six over deep square leg.

Seeing Mazakadza's confidence against pace, Misbah brought on Abdur Rehman's spin the next over and he had immediate success, beating Masakadza in both flight and turn, and having him stumped. Zimbabwe struggled to get back the momentum gained via the Masakadza-Taylor stand. Taylor had his moments where he swept the spinners and found the gaps, and had it not been for the calling, Zimbabwe would have had a mainstay at the crease to put up a fight.

Sikandar Raza dropped the ball towards cover and set off, hesitated on seeing Misbah attack the ball but carried on. Taylor was struggling amid the confusion and was dismissed via a direct hit. Misbah was in action once again when he underarmed the ball to the keeper Sarfraz who broke the bails before Williams - who was ball-watching - could make his ground. It was a close call but nevertheless, a single that should never have been attempted. It was a period in which Zimbabwe lost four wickets for 21 runs and by the halfway mark, lost six. Malcolm Waller, the only specialist batsman around, played the lone hand with 48 as Pakistan wrapped it up with ten overs to spare.

Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

Feeds: Kanishkaa Balachandran © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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All-round Pakistan hit back to take series

Pakistan 260 for 6 (Misbah 67, Shehzad 54, Chatara 3-48) beat Zimbabwe 152 (Waller 48, Ajmal 2-15, Rehman 2-23) by 108 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

A lot of expectations were heaped on Zimbabwe as they sat on the threshold of a rare series win against a top side, but they couldn't summon the temperament to beat Pakistan, who came from behind to win the series 2-1. While Zimbabwe's bowlers did well to restrict Pakistan to a par score of 260, the batsmen failed to put up a fight. Pakistan, in the process got a bogey off their backs by winning their first bilateral series in ten years after the series was leveled (either 1-1 or 2-2) going in to the decider.

The match took place on the backdrop of a payments dispute that threatened a Zimbabwe boycott. The players put the distraction aside to take the field, but the batsmen were nowhere close to competitive despite encouraging signs even in Thursday's defeat.

Brendan Taylor stuck by his faith that his side was better at chasing by putting Pakistan in to bat. The Pakistan openers, Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad, put on their best stand of the series - 66 - to set the platform for another big score. Pakistan suffered a blow when their in-form batsman, Mohammad Hafeez, hobbled off with a hamstring pull on 12. Hafeez had been Pakistan's attacking option at the top, but with him unavailable, it was down to Misbah-ul-Haq to shoulder the responsibility.

Shehzad couldn't replicate the fluency from the two T20s but rather than hit his way into form, chose to play a steady knock. Jamshed's dismissal impacted the run-rate as Pakistan struggled to find momentum in the middle overs. The boundaries had dried up and in the 32nd over, Shehzad broke a drought that lasted close to ten overs when he cut Sean Williams past the keeper. Shehzad consumed 81 balls for his fifty, showing the control the bowlers had over him. He perished trying to push on, lofting the part-timer Hamilton Masakadza straight to long-off.

Umar Amin batted positively in the batting Powerplay, taken after 35 overs, cutting and flicking Tendai Chatara for two boundaries in an over. He used his feet to Prosper Utseya, flicking him stylishly against the turn to deep midwicket and then over extra cover before the bowler struck back with a sharp return catch. Amin's 25-ball 33 infused some life into the innings that was craving for acceleration.

Misbah had plodded to 8 off 35 balls when he finally opened up, slogging Williams to deep midwicket to pick up his first boundary. He started to find the boundary regularly after the 43rd over, shuffling across his crease and punishing the length deliveries. With Sarfraz Ahmed showing some urgency, Pakistan scored their last fifty in just 28 balls. Misbah fell to a skier to deep midwicket after scoring his 11th half-century of the year. Hafeez returned in the penultimate over to salvage as many runs as possible and, fortunately for Pakistan, was swift between the wickets after resting his hamstring.

A total of 261 was competitive but Pakistan couldn't afford to relax, having failed to defend 245 in the first ODI. They introduced spin as early as the second over and Hafeez struck when Vusi Sibanda slogged him to deep midwicket where Amin took a running catch. Masakadza, like he did in the second ODI, showed a lot of promise with a couple of jaw-dropping boundaries off the seamers. Using the crease, he effortlessly lofted Junaid Khan over his head and the following ball pulled a six over deep square leg.

Seeing Mazakadza's confidence against pace, Misbah brought on Abdur Rehman's spin the next over and he had immediate success, beating Masakadza in both flight and turn, and having him stumped. Zimbabwe struggled to get back the momentum gained via the Masakadza-Taylor stand. Taylor had his moments where he swept the spinners and found the gaps, and had it not been for the calling, Zimbabwe would have had a mainstay at the crease to put up a fight.

Sikandar Raza dropped the ball towards cover and set off, hesitated on seeing Misbah attack the ball but carried on. Taylor was struggling amid the confusion and was dismissed via a direct hit. Misbah was in action once again when he underarmed the ball to the keeper Sarfraz who broke the bails before Williams - who was ball-watching - could make his ground. It was a close call but nevertheless, a single that should never have been attempted. It was a period in which Zimbabwe lost four wickets for 21 runs and by the halfway mark, lost six. Malcolm Waller, the only specialist batsman around, played the lone hand with 48 as Pakistan wrapped it up with ten overs to spare.

Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

Feeds: Kanishkaa Balachandran © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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Andy Flower coy about his long-term future with England ahead of Ashes series in Australia later this year

“I don’t look that far ahead to be honest,” he said. “You never know what’s just round the corner in sport.

"I do take the responsibility that the England and Wales Cricket Board have given me very seriously and I’m supposed to make a difference to English cricket in a positive way. I’ll continue to do that.”

For starters he will want to see who the ECB appoints in Hugh Morris’s place as managing director of England cricket, after Morris handed in his resignation on Monday

Flower worked well with Morris, who is to become Glamorgan’s chief executive in the new year, and while it was felt that their relationship had perhaps run its course a while ago, he will want to see what rapport he has with the new incumbent when they are appointed.

The return Ashes series concludes next January after which England play no Test cricket overseas for the remainder of the year as the focus shifts to the 2015 World Cup.

The result of that Ashes series could be crucial and some believe Flower will have a job keeping the team together as several senior players may seek to retire from international cricket.

“I don’t think that will happen,” Flower said. “There will always be movement because it’s a competitive environment and we select the side we think will have the best chance of winning a match or series.

"In that regard it’s quite a ruthless world. No one’s there forever, no matter how great a player is, or however great an MD is, or however a coach is going. We all move on.”

The splitting of the role into Test and one-day cricket, with Ashley Giles taking day-to-day control of the latter, was done at Flower’s behest in order for him to achieve a better work-life balance, which was out of kilter with him being away from his young family for up to 250 days a year.

It was also done to increase his longevity in the job, with the ECB readily agreeing to the split role last December.

Yet that split, a difficult thing for an avowed control freak like Flower, is likely to be tested next year when there are no overseas Test matches after Jan 7.

Although not one to wallow in plaudits, Flower did miss out on overseeing England’s first 4-0 Ashes victory after the umpires called the game off for bad light when they needed 21 runs off 24 balls.

Views on the umpires’ decision have varied wildly, but while Flower did not really blame them, he was critical of the International Cricket Council, whose change to the playing conditions placed such decisions solely in the hands of umpires.

“We have spoken to the ICC a number of times over the years and while I can’t speak for the ECB, the description in the regulations of how they judge bad light I think is poorly written,” Flower said.

“The emphasis is on safety and very rarely is there a safety issue out in the middle.

"In my personal opinion it should be either a very strict reading on the light meter where there is a universal reading they could adhere to, or it should be about the fairness of the balance of the contest between bat and ball.

“I thought it was a very tricky situation last night because it was so close to a conclusion and the responsibility to entertain the people that were in the ground and watching on television has to be taken seriously.

"Did they get it right? Ask them.”

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Ashes 2013: Australia face further misery as seamer Ryan Harris faces fitness battle ahead of winter Test series

Harris, 33, was Australia's man of the series in the recent Test tour of England - claiming 24 wickets at 19.58 in four matches.

That was the first time he has ever played four Tests in a row due to a career-long battle with fitness problems.

Indeed, he has worn the Baggy Green just 16 times since his debut in March 2010 despite being considered one of his country's most incisive bowlers and boasting a superb record.

A Cricket Australia statement read: "Ryan Harris injured his right hamstring during the latter part of the second innings on the fifth Ashes Test. He had to leave the field and did not return to the game as he was unable to bowl.

"He was assessed after arriving back in Australia today and is expected to be unavailable to play for the next 6-8 weeks."

He was left out of this summer's Ashes opener at Trent Bridge but was arguably the most consistent pace man from either side after his belated arrival in the Lord's Test.

Speaking after taking five wickets in his first innings of the series, Harris said his ambition stretched only as far as flying home with his team-mates when the time came, rather than alone with yet another injury.

He managed that in the end, but only just. He was forced to watch the thrilling climax to the final Test from the dressing room at the Kia Oval having felt his hamstring tighten.

The first Test in Brisbane begins on November 21, leaving Harris with limited rehabilitation time should his recovery be completed as expected.

It is the latest in a succession of fitness issues among Australia's talented pace division, with Pat Cummins, James Pattinson and Jackson Bird all being struck down with back injuries in the last few weeks.

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Ashes 2013: England's Kevin Pietersen heads the batting cast in a composite series XI featuring five Australians

It was the 2094th Test, and never before had the equation been 227 off 44 overs. It was fairly similar at Centurion in 2000 but then Hansie Cronje, South Africa’s captain, was fixed on not drawing the game.

So at the Oval theatre, the last act of this series had no script. The coaches could not tell their players anything of specific relevance from their experience. The players could not be programmed.

And such uncertainty on a late August evening, born of Michael Clarke’s daring declaration, riveted all concerned. At the end of an over when the PA announcer tried to tell the crowd about the ceremonies that would take place at the finish, such was the clapping, cheering and chanting that not one of his words was audible.

It was drama - and, better still, the drama of the first-night play, when none of the audience knows the outcome. Or rather, best of all, a play in which nobody - neither the audience nor the actors - knows what the outcome will be.

Kevin Pietersen did his best to script the finish. When he came in, England wanted 141 runs from the last 145 balls of the series, although there was always the likelihood that fading light would shave off a few overs.

Cometh the hour, cometh the showman. Pietersen feels good at the Oval: not only his breakthrough innings of 158 in 2005, but his first Test here as captain when he made a century against South Africa, and won. He not only averages more than 60 runs per innings here but, thanks to some pace in the pitch, four runs per over.

During his 55 balls, Pietersen could hardly have done more to recreate the magic of his innings eight years ago. But there was one difference between then and now. This Australian side have not been able to bat like their predecessors, or bowl Shane Warne, but their ground-fielding has been superlative.

In 2005 Pietersen was dropped more than once when the match was far from safe. On Sunday evening the first time he hit the ball towards a fielder, he was caught by David Warner at long-on.

Jonathan Trott had contributed 13 to their partnership of 77 and, being mortal, could not accelerate as his partner had. The next two Warwickshire players, Ian Bell and Chris Woakes, stayed on course to knock off the runs in 44 overs, but not in the 40 overs that approaching autumn allowed, before the script decreed the curtain should come down.

Before Pietersen, England’s captain Alastair Cook had found some fluency for the first time in this series. Even though he did not ‘go on’, once again, Cook did enough - in addition to his conscientious captaincy - to merit being one of the opening batsman in a composite eleven made up of these two sides.

Chris Rogers, though demoted on Sunday, would be Cook’s partner. Shane Watson was man of this match for his 176, and he can bowl better than Trott. Watson’s spell last evening was wicketless, as usual, yet invaluable.

Pietersen’s conversation with Michael Clarke, when they partner each other at four and five, would be worth turning up the stump-mike for. And when one of them runs the other out, there is always Bell to make another hundred.

Brad Haddin’s record feat, of making the most dismissals in any Test series, was overlooked in the closing ceremonies: no wonder wicketkeepers are used to being neglected. Haddin made his 29 catches off nine different bowlers, but most of them - nine - off Ryan Harris.

Harris, the bustling bull-dog with no bite, took 24 wickets in only four Tests. He and James Anderson would be a pace attack to avoid, backed by Stuart Broad who improved as the series went on, whereas Peter Siddle faded.

And who else but Graeme Swann, the leading wicket-taker with 26, to be the spinner? Didn’t he love being in control?

Composite XI: Cook, Rogers, Watson, Pietersen, Clarke (capt), Bell, Haddin, Broad, Swann, Harris and Anderson.

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Ashes 2013: last day incidents must serve as a warning to England ahead of the next series in Australia

If England keep winning it will be quickly forgotten. But if they go to Australia and lose there are some who will point the finger and say they were arrogant when they won in England and urinating on the wicket was an example of them starting to lose discipline.

It is ridiculous but episodes like that put a team under pressure. They have dealt with it well all summer and I believe they will deal with it again.

The bigger issue for cricket is the mess over bad light. The ending was a complete farce.

It is time the International Cricket Council realised this bad light rule has to change. They were lucky it was not 1-1 or 2-2 with 26,000 people angry at the fact England had lost the chance to win the Ashes.

I can only imagine what could have happened in that situation. The ICC has to apply common sense to bad light decisions. Ask themselves how many times over the last 25 years someone has been hurt when the light has dipped?

The only thing that can be hurt is someone’s average and it is not up to the ICC to protect statistics. I do not think anyone is in danger physically these days with all the modern protection batsmen wear.

I agree the ICC had to take the decision out of the hands of the batting side because they used it to their own advantage at times.

The umpires have to make the call but when the lights are on they should stay on, particularly if the over-rate has been slow and forced play to continue into the evening.

As soon as you use lights at Test matches you have to accept they are part and parcel of match conditions, a bit like batting when it is cloudy and the ball starts swinging.

You might have to bat in a bit of dim light late at night but that is just bad luck.

I think the umpires were quietly trying to get away with it on Sunday.

They did not consult the light meters until it had gone way beyond the point when they knew they would have to go off.

You could see Michael Clarke pushing for them to get the meters out.

He is within his rights to do that. But we have got to look at the bigger picture.

It is an entertainment business. How do you explain to a young boy that the game has reached the last four overs but we cannot finish it off even though the lights are on?

The odd fielder has missed the ball but that sometimes happens in broad daylight. Cricket is competing with too many sports and other things in life.

We have to make sure we do everything we can to stay out on the pitch at all costs.

It was a very proactive declaration from Clarke. I do not think he ever really expected to take 10 wickets in 44 overs but he also thought England would not go for the runs and the crowd would turn on them.

But England came out with a positive intent and showed why they deserved to win the series 3-0. They again played better in a big moment than Australia.

Against an Australia team who have not won all year England knew they just had to hang in and wait for an opportunity, which arrived on the final afternoon.

England have the experience to win key moments but Australia are in a lot better shape than at the start of the series.

They have nailed down 10 of their 11 for the start of the next series in Brisbane. If England play in Australia the way they have in this series, for example the batsmen not passing 400 once, they will lose.

Sure England will regroup. You celebrate winning the Ashes but there comes a moment when you realise you have to move on to the next challenge.

And the next one is bigger than it was in 2010-11 because the Australians are better.

Losing Hugh Morris as managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board is a blow for England. He has done a tremendous job behind the scenes.

There are stories about Andy Flower going too. As a player, once you start thinking about retiring or moving on you lose around five per cent of your edge.

I don’t know what it is like for a coach but I like Flower when he has an edge. That is when he is at his best.

England behaving badly

Monty Panesar

England’s second-choice spinner was fined by police when he was caught urinating on nightclub bouncers after being thrown out of a club in Brighton earlier this month. He has since been sacked by Sussex and was overlooked for the fifth Ashes Test, with fellow slow left-armer Simon Kerrigan playing instead.

Andrew Flintoff

The all-rounder was stripped of the vice-captaincy and banned for a game after he capsized a pedalo and got into difficulties in the water in the early hours of the morning in St Lucia. He was one of six players fined by England for the incident, which occurred after they lost a World Cup match against New Zealand in March 2007.

Ian Botham

After admitting to smoking cannabis in a newspaper interview, Ian Botham was banned by England for two months in 1986, but within 12 balls of his return against New Zealand he had surpassed Dennis Lillee as the world’s leading Test wicket taker.

Matthew Hoggard

After England’s all-night session when they won the Ashes in 2005, Matthew Hoggard was not in the best of states when he arrived at a Downing Street reception the next day. “We left Downing Street and there were a lot of photographers,” Hoggard recalled. “He [Tony Blair] said: ‘What do they want?’ So I looked at him and said: ‘A photo, you knob!’?”

Mike Gatting

Before Andrew Strauss, Mike Gatting was the last England captain to win a series in Australia, but the following year, 1988, he was in hot water after two tabloids claimed he had enjoyed a “late-night romp” with barmaid Louise Shipman. He vigorously denied the claims, but said he had taken her to his hotel room for a drink. He was sacked as a result.

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England apologise for urinating on Oval pitch after celebrating Ashes series victory against Australia

Some of England's players are alleged to have urinated on the pitch hours after the series ended on Sunday night.

And in a statement released on the England and Wales Cricket Board's website, the team have now apologised if any of their actions may have caused offence.

"The England cricket team would like to state that during our celebrations after winning the Ashes at no time was there any intention to disrespect Surrey CCC, the Oval or anyone else involved in the game we love," the statement on read.

"As a team we pride ourselves on respecting all things cricket including the opposition and the grounds we play at. We got carried away amongst the euphoria of winning such a prestigious series and accept that some of our behaviour was inappropriate.

"If that has caused any offence to anyone we apologise for that and want to reassure people that it was a simple error of judgement more than anything else."

The allegations arose following eye-witness accounts from Australian journalists, who were still in the ground while England celebrated their 3-0 series win in the middle.

Reports have since indicated the ECB has launched an investigation into the matter after being contacted by Surrey chief executive Richard Gould.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson was even drawn into making a comment, telling the Daily Telegraph: "If it happened, it's not good behaviour."

Off-spinner Graeme Swann appeared to confirm the story when writing in Tuesday's Sun newspaper, but attempted to play it down.

"We did go out to the middle of the pitch, all the lads, drinking beers, singing a few songs and enjoying each other's company," he wrote.

"I think the call of nature might have come once or twice but it was nothing untoward.

"It was midnight, a private celebration in the middle of the pitch and the ground was dark."

The furore is the latest incident involving England and the Australians this summer to have cast a shadow over the tourists' visit.

In June, England opening batsman Joe Root was punched by Australian counterpart David Warner in the Walkabout bar in Birmingham, with the latter being suspended by the Baggy Green.

The Australia batsman made a public apology to Root and was sent to tour with Australia 'A' before returning to the fold for the third Test.

And earlier this month Sussex launched an investigation after England spinner Monty Panesar was given a fixed penalty notice for being "drunk and disorderly" following an incident at a Brighton nightclub.

The 31-year-old was ejected from the Shooshh club in Brighton, East Sussex and then urinated in public.

He had been part of the England squad that drew the third Test at Old Trafford to retain the urn, although he did not play, and has since left Sussex to join Essex on loan.

(Edited by Giles Mole)

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England's Ashes winners rested for one-day series against Australia as five uncapped players named in squad

Before his back problems, Jordan looked as if he might become the next Andrew Flintoff – his bowling being both quick and aggressive and his batting delightfully uncomplicated.

If that ambition has been tempered he certainly has it in him to be the next Tim Bresnan, if not a cricketer of his own design.

He qualifies for England through a grandmother and for West Indies through birth.

Indeed, West Indies had been interested in securing his services but perhaps forgot to make another approach once it became likely that his back problem would not compromise him.

Given the same choice back in the early 1970s, Gordon Greenidge chose (wisely as it happened) to play for West Indies and became one of the greats.

But if Jordan delivers on his early promise it will be a coup for England.

Jordan is one of 10 players in England’s one-day squad who represented England Lions against Bangladesh recently, registering two wins and a loss.

With the selectors deciding to rest Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad (though he will captain England’s T20 side this week), Graeme Swann and James Anderson after the Ashes, it always made sense to blood talented youngsters in the hope they might be fully formed by the next World Cup in 2015.

That learning process is why Kevin Pietersen has been retained and not rested alongside his Ashes team mates despite having a sore knee.

As he showed on the final day at the Kia Oval, few can match his batting versatility when the mood takes him and tyros such as Ben Stokes will assimilate a lot about one-day batting just by watching him and Eoin Morgan, England’s acting captain in Cook’s absence.

Pietersen is rested from the T20s and the squad to play Ireland, for which his place has been taken by Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance.

“Following a very intense period of cricket this summer we have decided to rest a number of senior players,” Geoff Miller, the national selector, said.

“This creates an excellent opportunity for players who have impressed in county cricket and for England Lions recently to test themselves at international level as we continue to build a squad ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup, which is less than 18 months away.”

After his surprise selection in the final Test, the absence of Chris Woakes from the one-day squad seems something of a puzzle, as does, given the experimental nature of the squad, the absence of Jonny Bairstow.

According to Miller, both have been given ample opportunity in England’s one-day sides before and the pair have been returned to their counties, Woakes to rediscover his swing and Bairstow to do some wicketkeeping.

“Players just don’t get given caps, they have to earn the opportunity through good performances with their counties,” Miller said.

“Once they have done that they will be considered for the next step, which is to introduce them to the international environment to see how they fare.”

One player eager to prove himself after a small taste of Test cricket three years ago is Michael Carberry.

Picked for a Test tour of Bangladesh, on the back of being an organised opening batsman, Carberry has revealed his inner animal for Hampshire this season to gain selection to both England’s T20 and one-day squads.

Like Jordan, he has endured a period out of the game, following complications from blood clots, but seems at the peak of his form now, ready to target Australia and the World Cup there in 18 months’ time.

England ODI squad v Ireland: E Morgan (Middlesex, capt), G Ballance (Yorkshire), R Bopara (Essex), D Briggs (Hampshire), J Buttler (Somerset), M Carberry (Hampshire), S Finn (Middlesex), C Jordan (Sussex), J Overton (Somerset), B Rankin (Warwickshire), B Stokes (Durham), J Taylor (Nottinghamshire), J Tredwell (Kent), L Wright (Sussex).

England ODI squad v Australia: E Morgan (Middlesex, capt), R Bopara (Essex), J Buttler (Somerset), M Carberry (Hampshire), S Finn (Middlesex), C Jordan (Sussex), J Overton (Somerset), K Pietersen (Surrey), B Rankin (Warwickshire), J Root (Yorkshire), B Stokes (Durham), J Tredwell (Kent), J Trott (Warwickshire), L Wright (Sussex).

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Michael Carberry set to be called up by England for one-day series against Australia

Carberry has not played for England since his solitary Test against Bangladesh in 2010. Since then ill health has set back his career but this season he has been in good form for Hampshire and the England Lions.

Carberry, who has suffered a blood clot on his lung since his one England appearance, has been enjoying a prolific season in limited-overs cricket. He made 146 for the Lions against Bangladesh A last week and topped 500 runs in the Friends Life Twenty20 competition at a strike rate of 142.

The pinnacle of his T20 season came with a hundred in the quarter-final against Lancashire helping to earn him a place in the England Twenty20 squad, which was announced earlier this month.

England play two Twenty20s against Australia starting at the Rose Bowl on Thursday and Durham on Saturday.

It is likely that Alastair Cook, who does not play in the T20 side, will be rested from the 50-over side, leaving Eoin Morgan to captain the 50-over team. Stuart Broad will lead the Twenty20 side but is likely to miss some, if not all, of the 50-over series.

Kevin Pietersen, James Anderson and Graeme Swann are also set to be rested although they could be added to the squad at a later stage. The five-match one-day series begins on Sept 6, three days after a one-off game against Ireland in Dublin.

Morgan has struck form just at the right time, hitting a season’s-best 90 to inspire his Middlesex side to a four-wicket Yorkshire Bank 40 win over Leicestershire at Lord’s on Monday.

National selector Geoff Miller was there to see Morgan hit eight fours and four sixes in a match-defining innings as Middlesex reached their target with 10 balls to spare.

Morgan reached a 43-ball fifty – his first in all forms of cricket in a hugely disappointing domestic season – by chipping six into the Tavern Stand against Josh Cobb. He was just 10 short of his century when a mistimed slog sweep against Shiv Thakor flew to Greg Smith at long on.

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England Women hail new Ashes format with series victory in sight

The format of allotting six points for a win in the Test (or, as it turned out, two points for a draw), and two points for each of the six limited-overs games, was the brainchild of Clare Connor, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s head of women’s cricket – and it is surely here to stay.

“I think it is going brilliantly but I have to say that quite modestly because it was my idea,” Connor said. “It was born of a conversation with my husband on holiday a couple of years ago, so he should take a bit of credit – but not much!”

“The format makes the matches into a sustained test and it has harnessed public interest. Maybe we wouldn’t have had 5,000 watching at Chelmsford for the first T20 international if this hadn’t been a multi-format Ashes.”

Sarah Taylor, England’s wicketkeeper-batsman, approves of this innovation. “We all love the format because it puts so much importance on every game,” said Taylor, who scored 77 off 58 balls at Chelmsford.

The catch that Taylor took in the third one-day international was the most stunning single piece of cricket this summer, by man or woman. Jodie Fields, Australia’s captain, played a reverse-paddle and Taylor flung herself to catch it in a full-stretched dive with her right hand. Even slip would have had to dive.

“Don’t ask me how I did it,” Taylor said, admitting it was the best catch of her career. “I just tried to get in the way and stick my hand out, and if you get hit, you get hit.”

There have been plenty more examples of brilliant fielding from both sides. “Athletic fielding has become an integral part since we started playing T20 four years ago, and it creates a spectacle for television,” Connor said. “The biggest difference now is the time they spend on their skills, and the fact we have employed four or five specialist coaches.”

Like the men, England Women return to Australia this winter to play a return series of the multi-format Ashes. They are the only two countries that now play women’s Test cricket, but the new format may be embraced when India or New Zealand tour England next year.

The late Bob Woolmer said the longest format helped cricketers to develop their limited-overs skills. Taylor agreed: “Learning patience and spending time at the crease makes you appreciate the amount of time you actually have in the short form.”

Maybe a multi-format series, after being successfully trialled in the women’s game, will be used to revive men’s Test cricket, too.

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Ashes 2013: how the England players rated on their way to defeating Australia to win summer Test series

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Kevin Pietersen
Tests 5 Runs 326 Average 36.22 Catches 4
Has curbed his impatience admirably to adapt to the slow pitches in the team’s cause. England could have lost at Trent Bridge and Old Trafford without his contributions. 8/10

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Ian Bell
Tests 5 Runs 529 Average 75.57 Catches 2
Man of the series. Could he have batted out the last day at Old Trafford if rain had not wiped out the last two sessions? He turned every other game England’s way, batting near perfectly, without straining for technical perfection as he used to. Now he has a family he may be switching off for the first time, making him all the sharper when he switches on. 10/10

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Jonny Bairstow
Tests 4 Runs 203 Average 29.00 Catches 1
His 28 at the Riverside was his last and best innings because it was also the most positive. Back at No?6 this winter as a specialist batsman — or could he keep wicket and succeed Prior? 5/10

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Matt Prior
Runs 86 Average 14.33 Catches 16
Comprehensively out-played by Brad Haddin as batsman and keeper, after beating him in 2009 and drawing in 2010-11. Such a hard worker, he will surely be back this winter. 5/10

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Tim Bresnan
Tests 3 Runs 103 Average 25.75 Wickets 10 Average 29.60 Catches 0
Steady Eddie was back to his former pace and acted as a nightwatchman-plus with the bat. But is he sufficiently different from Anderson and Broad to be a third seamer in Australia? 7/10

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Stuart Broad
Tests 5 Runs 170 Average 28.33 Wickets 18 Average 31.16 Catches 1
Resurrected his batting in the first Test and his bowling in the fourth. And he did not nick it to slip at Trent Bridge - Darren Lehmann, please note - but via the keeper to slip. 8/10

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Graeme Swann
Tests 5 Runs 92 Average 23.00 Wickets 25 Average 28.64 Catches 4
The oldest player at 34, and might be past his peak at second slip, but not as a spinner. Dispatched 16 left-handers, including Rogers six times, and kept control throughout. 9/10

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James Anderson
Tests 5 Runs 32 Average 8.00 Wickets 21 Average 29.71 Catches 3
Bookended the series with superlative swing-and-seam bowling at Trent Bridge and the Oval. An all-time great bowler if he can do it in three Ashes series in a row. 9/10

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Steven Finn
Tests 1 Runs 2 Average 2.00 Wickets 2 Average 58.50 Catches 0
After two wickets in his opening spell, he proved the biggest disappointment of England’s bowlers, but he is only 24. Must sort out his run-up and bowl flat out — and go to Australia. 3/10

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Simon Kerrigan
Tests 1 Runs - Average - Wickets 0 Average - Catches 0
Oh dear. It may take a long time for him to recover from his chastening experience at the Oval. But if he does, and energises his run-up, he will be stronger and may succeed Panesar. 1/10

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Chris Woakes
Tests 1 Runs 15 Average - Wickets 1 Average 96.00 Catches 0
He could become a fourth seamer for a Test in England, but greater potential in his batting. One front and one back-foot drive were high class. 3/10

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Ashes 2013: England coach Andy Flower 'to quit after winter series in Australia'

Flower is due to give a press conference when the present series ends at the Kia Oval later today, when he will be asked about a claim in a Sunday newspaper that he will be replaced by England 20-and-50-over coach Ashley Giles.

The report in the Sunday People said Flower has agreed with the England and Wales Cricket Board that he will step down after the series in Australia, when he will be trying to oversee a fourth Ashes victory since becoming England head coach in April 2009.

The speculation over his future comes even though England need only to lose fewer than 16 wickets today to equal their best result in an Ashes series at home.

Moreover, when England won 3-0 in 1977, Australian cricket was in a state of serious schism because half of their team had signed for the World Series and the other half had not, while in 1886 Australian cricket had no national governing body to organise and select their team.

This series is not quite over yet, however, because a minimum of 98 overs are scheduled for the final day, and the very prospect of going down as the equal-biggest losers in their history will spur Michael Clarke's Australia to produce one last effort.

Australia first have to prevent England scoring 46 more runs to reach their follow-on target of 293. After the pitch has been under cover for two nights and yesterday's washout, Australia's pace bowlers are likely to find it a suitable morning for swing and seam, so Ian Bell's job is not yet completed even though he is averaging 75.

The rest of England's batting consists of two debutants in Chris Woakes and Simon Kerrigan, a wicketkeeper who has scored 86 runs in this series, and the two older heads of Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann. As the self-styled engine room of this England side, Matt Prior, Broad and Swann need to rev up this morning for England to finish on a high note.

After conceding 30 in his first five overs, Woakes has settled in as the game has gone on. Kerrigan's chance of redemption lies in England saving the follow-on handsomely, then Australia batting out the last few overs without anything left to play for, when he would have the chance of a rehabilitating bowl.

Even so, England's selection here has been proved wrong: the intention, without question, was to pick the 11 best equipped in the selectors' opinion to win this match, but the consequence was to throw an added weight on to the shoulders of James Anderson, just as the selection of Steve Finn ahead of Tim Bresnan did in the opening Test at Trent Bridge, Bresnan's most successful ground.

If England only just save the follow-on, Clarke would still have one last dice to throw in his attempt to avoid doing down in Australian history alongside Greg Chappell and Hugh Scott, his two unillustrious predecessors.

Ten to 20 overs of hitting by David Warner and Shane Watson would then give Clarke enough runs to set a declaration, and the best part of two sessions to bowl England out a second time. Anderson and Broad would slow England's overrate down, but not so much as to risk a penalty for their captain, Alastair Cook.

However low that declaration target is, England will not be keen to embark on a run chase. But having been criticised widely for their defensiveness in this match - Australia's debutant James Faulkner suggested last night that spectators on Friday should be given their money back - there could come a point when England would feel embarrassed not to chase: if Clarke sets 200 in 60 overs, for example, they might feel obliged to have a go.

Yet the luck in this series is forecast to favour England until the very last as showers are predicted. The pattern has been astonishingly consistent: when England have won the toss and batted first, they have won, but when Australia have won the toss and piled up a big total, rain has helped England to draw.

If England do avoid defeat today, they will go second in the ICC Test rankings; Australia will go fifth, whatever today's result.

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Ashes 2013: England's Kevin Pietersen heads the batting cast in a composite series XI featuring five Australians

It was the 2094th Test, and never before had the equation been 227 off 44 overs. It was fairly similar at Centurion in 2000 but then Hansie Cronje, South Africa’s captain, was fixed on not drawing the game.

So at the Oval theatre, the last act of this series had no script. The coaches could not tell their players anything of specific relevance from their experience. The players could not be programmed.

And such uncertainty on a late August evening, born of Michael Clarke’s daring declaration, riveted all concerned. At the end of an over when the PA announcer tried to tell the crowd about the ceremonies that would take place at the finish, such was the clapping, cheering and chanting that not one of his words was audible.

It was drama - and, better still, the drama of the first-night play, when none of the audience knows the outcome. Or rather, best of all, a play in which nobody - neither the audience nor the actors - knows what the outcome will be.

Kevin Pietersen did his best to script the finish. When he came in, England wanted 141 runs from the last 145 balls of the series, although there was always the likelihood that fading light would shave off a few overs.

Cometh the hour, cometh the showman. Pietersen feels good at the Oval: not only his breakthrough innings of 158 in 2005, but his first Test here as captain when he made a century against South Africa, and won. He not only averages more than 60 runs per innings here but, thanks to some pace in the pitch, four runs per over.

During his 55 balls, Pietersen could hardly have done more to recreate the magic of his innings eight years ago. But there was one difference between then and now. This Australian side have not been able to bat like their predecessors, or bowl Shane Warne, but their ground-fielding has been superlative.

In 2005 Pietersen was dropped more than once when the match was far from safe. On Sunday evening the first time he hit the ball towards a fielder, he was caught by David Warner at long-on.

Jonathan Trott had contributed 13 to their partnership of 77 and, being mortal, could not accelerate as his partner had. The next two Warwickshire players, Ian Bell and Chris Woakes, stayed on course to knock off the runs in 44 overs, but not in the 40 overs that approaching autumn allowed, before the script decreed the curtain should come down.

Before Pietersen, England’s captain Alastair Cook had found some fluency for the first time in this series. Even though he did not ‘go on’, once again, Cook did enough - in addition to his conscientious captaincy - to merit being one of the opening batsman in a composite eleven made up of these two sides.

Chris Rogers, though demoted on Sunday, would be Cook’s partner. Shane Watson was man of this match for his 176, and he can bowl better than Trott. Watson’s spell last evening was wicketless, as usual, yet invaluable.

Pietersen’s conversation with Michael Clarke, when they partner each other at four and five, would be worth turning up the stump-mike for. And when one of them runs the other out, there is always Bell to make another hundred.

Brad Haddin’s record feat, of making the most dismissals in any Test series, was overlooked in the closing ceremonies: no wonder wicketkeepers are used to being neglected. Haddin made his 29 catches off nine different bowlers, but most of them - nine - off Ryan Harris.

Harris, the bustling bull-dog with no bite, took 24 wickets in only four Tests. He and James Anderson would be a pace attack to avoid, backed by Stuart Broad who improved as the series went on, whereas Peter Siddle faded.

And who else but Graeme Swann, the leading wicket-taker with 26, to be the spinner? Didn’t he love being in control?

Composite XI: Cook, Rogers, Watson, Pietersen, Clarke (capt), Bell, Haddin, Broad, Swann, Harris and Anderson.

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Ashes 2013: Graeme Swann and Ian Bell deserve the plaudits for their efforts during England's series win

Best catch
Cook’s diving at full stretch and one-handed to dismiss Peter Siddle at Trent Bridge. Stunning, and hugely important.

Best ball
Anderson’s inswinging leg-cutter to remove Michael Clarke at Trent Bridge. Clarke also copped a beauty from Broad at Durham. Both looked unplayable, but, as former Australian batsman David Boon once observed, very few are in reality. Boon said he only received one such ball in his career. Clarke’s lingering on the back foot for the short ball does weaken his front-foot defence.

Biggest villain
David Warner, of course. Not Broad nor the Decision Review System, but the man who whacked Joe Root in a bar and then called for a ludicrous review after edging Swann behind at Old Trafford.

In fairness Warner fronted up to his misdemeanour and has taken the stick in good part. He remains a dangerous batsman, of whom England will be wary this winter.

Hardest done-by award
Not Ed Cowan, who was very harshly dropped after failing twice while ill at Trent Bridge, but the DRS system that has so often been maligned. It has had its problems, yes, but nobody said it was perfect before the series. In the balefully scrutinised and pressurised world of modern-day sport, it helps achieve more correct decisions. Surely that is good. HotSpot could be better, of course, but calls such as those for sides not to lose a review when an umpire’s call is revealed are erroneous. Sides must realise that, for instance, the ball must be smashing the stumps for a not out lbw decision to be overturned. Leave it as it is.

Biggest misconception
That Broad’s infamous edge at Trent Bridge went straight to slip. It went there via the wicketkeeper. Even Darren Lehmann in his spectacularly ill-judged radio interview for which he was fined last week was still contending as much.

Spirit of cricket award
Broad, obviously. He has walked ever since that incident. Much ado about little, if you ask me. Maybe one day we will get to a point where technology is so reliable that all batsmen will walk off anyway, but we are clearly nowhere near that situation yet.

Best masterclass
Sky Sports have shown some wonderful examples of these during the series, but they have been off the field with former stars of the game. The best one live for me was by Clarke during his 187 at Old Trafford. The way he used his feet to Swann was quite delightful. So few batsmen do that these days. You are allowed to leave your crease.

Worst decision
Usman Khawaja when given out caught behind to Graeme Swann at Old Trafford, not just by on-field umpire, Tony Hill, but also by third umpire Kumar Dharmasena. There was a clue as to why it was not out; there was clear daylight between bat and ball. That usually means the batsman has not hit the ball!

Best Ground
Trent Bridge, a wonderfully relaxed and efficient mix of the old and the new, is always a personal favourite and it provided a spectacular first Test, with England rather fortunate that lunch arrived when it did on the nerve-shredding final day. Old Trafford has improved markedly since receiving the prod of losing a 2009 Ashes Test to Cardiff, and Durham hosted a fine first Ashes Test, although they could clearly do with installing permanent floodlights. No Ashes Test ground should be without them these days. Whether, though, the likes of Durham, Cardiff and Southampton can secure Ashes Tests after 2015 is another question. I doubt it.

Minor gripe
That England’s uncapped twelfth men are permitted to wear England caps on the field. They are supposed to be earnt.

Most obvious visit to the village green
Swann’s donkey-drop full toss that dismissed Chris Rogers lbw at Lord’s, made worse by Rogers’ failure to review the decision, with the ball clearly missing the stumps.

Worst but most popular century
Rogers’ effort on the Saturday at Durham when the ball jagged around all over the place and Rogers was often later to the ball than Cinderella. Apparently there were Englishmen cheering him to his hundred. He must be one hell of a bloke.

Best story
The fairytale that was Ashton Agar’s 98 on debut at Trent Bridge. Quite what he was doing playing in front of the increasingly excellent Nathan Lyon has not become clear, with his selection for the second Test at Lord’s when he was not fit either even more mystifying. Harsh as it might sound, it may be that never scores a Test century, because his bowling will have to improve considerably for him to be selected again in the first place.

Worst story
That players use tape on their bats to fool HotSpot, as advanced by an Australian TV station. Absolute rubbish, and its running as a news item was an embarrassment to our industry.

One thing I would change for the return series
The umpires. English and Australian umpires must be allowed to stand. The pool from which those selected to stand in this series has been criminally small. It must be enlarged.

One thing I wouldn’t change
Australia’s top five in the batting order. It has taken much rearranging of the chairs to come to this point of productivity, but Rogers, Warner, Watson, Clarke and Smith look set for now. It really is game on this winter.

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