ASHES NOTEBOOK: England to push ICC for greater flexibility on Test match days after fourth Test washout at Old Trafford

England will push the ICC to consider greater flexibility around Test match days after their Ashes hopes were washed away in Manchester.

Richard Thompson, the ECB chair, has said that he will lobby ICC chair Greg Barclay ‘to ensure that schedules can be more flexible’ after England’s hopes of regaining the Ashes were washed away in Manchester last weekend.

Just 30 overs were possible across the final two days at Emirates Old Trafford, leaving Ben Stokes‘ team frustrated in their attempts to dismiss Australia for a second time.

And in the aftermath of the draw, Joe Root proposed that play should continue until all the overs were bowled after 15 went unused across the first two when the light remained good beyond the playing hours.

Thompson told the Today programme on Radio 4: ‘It’s a debate that we need to have.’

England’s Ashes hopes were washed away due to the rain which halted their fourth Test

ECB chair Richard Thompson will push the ICC to introduce greater flexibility around Test schedules 

Although stopping short of recommending the introduction of reserve days in Test cricket, he added: ‘I will talk to Greg Barclay, for sure, just in the sense of him understanding what England has done to Test cricket. We’ve elevated that format and reinvented the way Test cricket has been played now.

‘There’s significantly more excitement and interest around Test cricket now, and this is part of that broader conversation, to ensure that schedules can be more flexible to accommodate this type of strange eventuality. But we need to have that conversation.’

Punter misses out on big payout 

One punter missed out on a healthy four-figure payout on Thurdsday when Zak Crawley took a cautious approach facing up to Mitchell Starc at the start of this final Test.

A £20 pre-series wager at odds of 250-1 that a boundary would be struck in the opening over of each match remained live until the fifth and last leg when Starc sent down only Australia’s 30th maiden. In contrast, England had recorded 129 at the same stage.

Zak Crawley’s cautious approach standing up to Mitchell Starc (pictured) meant one punter missed out on a big win

England always look on the positive side 

England’s players cracked open a couple of bottles of red wine costing £70 a-pop at the end of the Manchester Test.

The 2004 vintage Chateau La Lagune Haut-Medoc and 2018 Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin were presented to Stuart Broad by his team-mates to celebrate his career landmark of 600 Test wickets.

The damp squib of a contest that led to Australia retaining the urn might have reduced the gifts to vehicles for drowning sorrows, but this team always look on the positive side of things and took the opportunity to toast one of England’s greats on Sunday evening before heading south.

England players cracked open the wine despite the disappointment of the Manchester Test after it was presented to Stuart Broad to celebrate his landmark of 600 Test wickets

Giles welcomed back 

Ashley Giles, the support act with the bat on the day Kevin Pietersen’s maiden Test hundred helped secure the Ashes at the Oval 18 years ago, was welcomed back to his former county headquarters in the build-up to this match.

Giles, who came through the Surrey system as a player before moving to Warwickshire, was part of an entourage invited to celebrate the historic occasion and received a warm reception from security staff.

But he was taken aback later in the day when the same personnel revealed a parcel in his name had been delivered to the ground. Imagine his surprise when said package was handed over – addressed to 2005 team-mate Marcus Trescothick, England’s assistant coach.

Ashley Giles (right) was the support act when Kevin Pietersen’s (left) maiden Test hundred helped England win the Ashes 18 years ago

Umpires decision triggers concerns  

The decision by the umpires to restrict England to bowling spin in Manchester, triggered by concerns about the quality of the light, naturally drew attention to the dark glasses worn by West Indies official Joel Wilson.

However, Wilson was quick to point out to media at the Oval on Thursday that the eye wear in question was not a pair of Ray Bans but light enhancers.