26 Aug 2013

Final Ashes test ends in draw

9:03 am on 26 August 2013

England fell 21 runs short of pulling off a dramatic win when the fifth and final Ashes test against Australia ended in a draw on the last day.

The hosts, chasing 227, were scenting victory at the Oval when Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott shared a sparkling third-wicket partnership of 77.

But Pietersen fell for 62 and Trott 59 and, when bad light forced the players off with four overs remaining, England had to settle for a draw and a 3-nil triumph in the series.

Australia declared on 111 for six in an attempt to manufacture an unlikely victory after bowling England out for 377 earlier in the day.

The result helped England leapfrog India into second place on the ICC test team rankings, South Africa are first.