ENGLAND’S dreams of regaining the Ashes were washed away as the Fourth Test was abandoned as a draw.

No play was possible on the fifth day and that means Australia take a 2-1 lead into the Fifth Test at the Oval on Thursday.

The Aussies already hold the fabled little urn courtesy of their 4-0 triumph Down Under in 2021-22.

The result leaves captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum frustrated because they dominated the match – but were denied by the Manchester weather.

England should have won the First Test at Edgbaston last month but will rue dropped catches and some soft dismissals with the bat.

Stokes and McCullum will not divert from their aggressive Bazball style in their attempt to make Test cricket more entertaining and relevant. Their attacking mantra has allowed some memorable moments during the first four Tests.

A victory at the Oval would tie the series 2-2 and that would not be a disaster against an Australian team who won the World Test Championship final just a couple of weeks before the Ashes series started.

However, there will still be feelings of what might have been.

England need to win at the Oval to prevent Australia winning an Ashes series in this country for the first time since 2001.

The rain relented sufficiently on Saturday for 30 overs to be bowled but England could manage just one wicket as Marnus Labuschagne scored a century and Mitchell Marsh batted obdurately for 31 not out.

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England’s only wicket came when Labuschagne edged an attempted cut shot against Joe Root’s off-spinners.

Root was bowling only because the umpires ruled that it was too gloomy for Stokes to use his fast bowlers.

Stokes and his players were anxiously checking weather apps on their phones overnight but the predictions were unanimously gloomy.

Sure enough, after a brief dry spell which allowed the umpires to instruct a 1pm start, it rained for much of the day.

The start never happened and by mid-afternoon large puddles formed on the Old Trafford outfield and play was officially called off at 5.25pm.

The draw comes after England were frustrated yesterday by Marnus Labuschagne’s stubborn century.

England were able to bowl 30 overs on day four in their attempt to win the Fourth Test and level the series – which was more than they feared at one stage.

But Labuschagne scored 111 and Mitchell Marsh batted throughout the play that was possible.

It added up to Australia losing just one wicket for 99 runs with Joe Root’s dismissal of Labuschagne the only glimmer of light for the hosts.

Labuschagne and Marsh repelled everything that England threw at them – which included some Mark Wood thunderbolts, a touch of Joe Root deception and a controversial change of ball.

When captain Ben Stokes was told by the umpires it was too dark to bowl his seamers, he tossed the ball to Root and the former captain’s off breaks were the most probing deliveries of the day.

Mind you, it was a mystery how umpire Joel Wilson could accurately judge the light because a pair of sunglasses were plonked on his nose all day under leaden skies and with the floodlights on.

Root took the only wicket when Labuschagne aimed a cut shot and wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow held the catch at the second attempt.