Fourth Ashes Test: day five betting news & odds as Australia retain urn

Day five stumps report

Australia have retained the Ashes after winning a nerve-shredding fourth Test at Old Trafford to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

The final day started with England on 18-2, needing to bat out 98 overs to salvage a draw, which was 18-5 at the start of play, or reach a target of 365, which was as big as 40-1. Australia were 1-4 at stumps on day four.

Jason Roy (31) was the first casualty of the day before third Test hero Ben Stokes fell for only one run and Australia went as short as 1-33 for victory after reducing the hosts to 93-5.

A valiant display from England's lower order batsmen, most notably Jack Leach (12) and Craig Overton (21), who faced a combined 166 balls, gave Joe Root's men hope of taking the series to the final Test and the draw was 7-4 with 30 overs remaining.

But skipper Tim Paine rotated his attack, allowing Marnus Labuschagne to dismiss Leach before Josh Hazlewood sealed the win, pinning Overton lbw.

Pat Cummins proved the pick of the Aussie bowlers with 4-43, chipping away at an England side who batted a total 91.3 overs and reached 197 all out in their second innings at Old Trafford.

The final Test begins at the Oval on Thursday, with England rated 11-8 to win and level the series, the draw 9-2 and Australia 6-5 to seal a 3-1 win.

Bet365 offer 12-5 that England avenge their Ashes upset by reclaiming the urn in Australia in 2021.

Day four stumps report

Australia are 1-4 to win the fourth Ashes Test and retain the urn after moving into a commanding position on day four at Old Trafford.

Having earlier bowled England out for 301 before declaring their second innings on 186-6, Pat Cummins removed Rory Burns and home skipper Joe Root with consecutive balls to leave England reeling on 0-2 after just four balls of their bid to save the game and put Ashes holders Australia eight wickets away from an unassailable 2-1 series lead.

Joe Denly and Jason Roy survived the final six overs after Root's departure as England closed on 18-2 and needing to bat out 98 overs on Sunday to keep the series alive.

After staving off the prospect of the follow on, England, themselves, made quick inroads into the Australia batting unit to reduce the tourists to 44-4.

But once again Steve Smith snuffed out any impetus they had with a typically unorthodox 82 - his ninth consecutive score of 50 runs or more in an Ashes innings - allowing Tim Paine to declare with a lead of 382 runs before Cummins delivered his deadly double blow.

England are 40-1 to surpass the miracle of Headingley and score the improbable 365 runs they need to win the Test and 18-5 to save the game and ensure the series is alive heading to The Oval.

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