Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the fifth and final Test of this compelling Ashes series. Australia, as any fule kno, have retained the Ashes by virtue of winning them back in 2017-18, holding them with a draw in 2019 and spanking England again in that rotten 2021-22 series. To win a series here for the first time since Steve Waugh embroidered his flinty legend by making a century on one leg in Kennington in 2001 has long been their goal, particularly for those veterans of the 2013 and 2015 shellackings and their 2019 anti-climax, namely David Warner, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc and the departed Nathan Lyon.

Drawn Ashes series are far rarer than many think. 2019’s was the first since 1972, when England had already retained them by winning the fourth Test at Headingley before going down at the Oval when DK Lillee took five for 58 and five for 123. There were three drawn series in the Sixties, the decade the game almost died of boredom, but before that only 1938, when the Old Trafford Test was washed out entirely, and Australia arrived at the Oval 1-0 up, urn secured, lost Don Bradman and Jack Fingleton to injury and Len Hutton, Maurice Leyland and Joe Hardstaff built their tower to the sun, brick and rivet and lime, or 903 for seven as it was more commonly known.

England have some history as well as momentum on their side in their quest to square the series here, if the rain stays away long enough. They have picked an unchanged side, resisting the temptation to go with both Mark Wood and Josh Tongue to knock a few batsmen about a bit for next time, or indeed recall Ollie Robinson, who has 12 wickets at 19 in two Tests here. Australia have one selection dilemma currently unresolved – whether to pick Todd Murphy or Cameron Green. Their bowlers have had sufficient rest since last Friday afternoon but they were wholly unbalanced at Old Trafford without a frontline spinner and will know that in the past 14 years Graeme Swann has taken 27 wickets at the Oval. Ravi Jadeja 15, Moeen Ali and Lyon 14.

Pat Cummins was still being cagey yesterday afternoon and may stick to his guns with one eye on the radar, playing the long game with Alex Carey batting at eight and figuring that a 2-1 victory is easier to sneak than 3-1. It would be risky but last night’s heavy rain and the gloomy forecast of more showers throughout the Test may sway his mind … and the series … again.