Australian media mock ‘England’s sob story’ as they celebrate Pat Cummins’ team retaining the Ashes after downpours at Old Trafford: ‘It’s hard to tell when the rain stopped and the tears started’

Pat Cummins may have said his team won’t be celebrating retaining the Ashes, but it seems his message was lost on several Australian media outlets.

A large section of the Australian wasted no opportunity in sticking the boot into the ‘crying Poms’ after the tourists retained the urn following a rain-affected draw at Old Trafford in the fourth Test.

The hosts looked poised to level the series at 2-2 to set up a mouthwatering decider at The Oval later this week, only to be denied by the weather.

England needed six wickets to win across the final two days, but could only get through 30 overs as five of the last six sessions in the match were lost without a single ball bowled.

The draw means Australia will head to The Oval on Thursday looking to win the urn in England for the first time since 2001.

Ben Stokes and England were denied the chance to level the series in the fourth Test

Five of the last six sessions were washed out without a single ball being bowled at Old Trafford

The Manchester weather may have deprived us of a grandstand finish, but Ben Horne had little time for sympathy in his Daily Telegraph column.

‘It’s hard to tell when the rain stopped and the tears started but this much is certain – England’s Ashes bellyaching has just become too much,’ he wrote.

Horne also noted that the series had proved that while entertaining, England’s much trumpeted Bazball approach was not necessarily a winning formula.

‘The best thing about this enthralling series, by far, has been Baz Ball. It is captivating and brilliant. 

‘But the most tedious thing has been how in love England are with themselves about Bazball.

‘Scoring runs at seven an over is breathtaking to watch, but it’s not ending world hunger or reinventing the wheel and at some point England needs to face the fact that for all their trailblazing bravado, they have, for the second time running, failed to win the Ashes on home soil.’

Writing in The Australian, Peter Lalor struck a similar chord, suggesting England ‘were struggling to accept’ the outcome of the fourth Test as he sarcastically  referenced Ben Stokes’ desire to leave a legacy irrespective of the results.

‘Pat Cummins admits his side got out of jail when rain ruined England’s chances to square the series at Old Trafford, but the ­English are inconsolable,’ Lalor wrote.

Pat Cummins said Australia will not be celebrating retaining the Ashes after a disappointing performance in the fourth Test in Manchester 

In his Daily Telegraph column (left), Ben Horne had little sympathy for England 

Writing in the Australian, Peter Lalor described the reaction to the fourth Test as Old Trafford as ‘a classic English sob story’

‘The locals’ pillows are as wet as the Old Trafford outfield, but don’t fret too much for them because as their captain Ben Stokes insists, it is not about whether you win or lose, it’s about how you play the game.’

Speaking on Monday, Australian all-rounder Cam Green admitted the tourists ‘got out of jail’ at Old Trafford when they stared down the barrel of a comprehensive defeat.

In the Sydney Morning Herald, Malcolm Conn acknowledged Australia were rescued by the rain, but argued England were undone by a mess of their own making.

‘Rarely could the Ashes have been secured in more hollow circumstances, with almost two days of rain saving Australia from what appeared certain defeat,’ he wrote.

‘Despite being robbed of victory by the weather, England have only themselves to blame for being on the wrong side of history.

In the Sydney Morning Herald , Malcolm Conn acknowledged Australia were rescued by the rain, but argued England were undone by a mess of their own making

‘It could have been so different. England were in charge of the first Test at Edgbaston before the cult of Bazball resulted in an overoptimistic declaration and reckless batting. This opened the door for Australia to snatch a dramatic two-wicket win and control the series.’

In the same publication, Andrew Webster suggested it was time for the Ashes to do away with the ‘anachronistic’ practice of allowing the holders to retain the urn in the event of a drawn series.

‘I can appreciate the value of a gritty, determined draw that feels as good as a victory. This is the unique beauty of Test cricket, and it shouldn’t be disturbed,’ Webster wrote.

‘But if there is one anachronistic edict that must change, it’s retaining a series simply because you’ve won it before.

‘First, it gives the team that won the last series an unfair advantage, prompting the side to play defensive cricket. Second, it can kill off the series before it’s over.’

Writing in The Australian, Gideon Haig agreed: ‘Perhaps it is time to revisit this custom, to make provision for the Ashes to be shared. 

‘Looking out over a sad and sorry Old Trafford yesterday, it hardly felt as though Australia had quite “won” the Ashes this summer, or that England had “lost” them. 

‘On the contrary, it’s been a series you’d be happy to have had go on forever.

‘But how to explain to the uninitiated the Oval Test’s weird hybrid character, of being “live” where the outcome of the series is concerned, but “dead” in the context of the Ashes?

‘I know cricket’s not meant to make sense. But it might, on occasion, at least try to do so.’