James Anderson's Last-Ditch Effort Saves England a Draw and Avoids Ashes Whitewash
In a thrilling finale to the fourth Test, veteran fast bowler James Anderson conjured up an extraordinary spell to save England from an Ashes whitewash. Playing in his 168th Test match for England, Anderson had one of the most incredible last-ditches in cricket history.
With the score locked at 312-4, Australia needed just three wickets and a draw to seal their first-ever Ashes series win since 1935. But Anderson was determined not to let that happen. The Lancashire paceman produced an inspired sequence of deliveries to reduce England's deficit from 48 runs on the final day to one in the last over.
With Australia on 313-4, Anderson was handed the ball by skipper Joe Root with just two wickets remaining. As he ran up to deliver, it seemed as though his fate had been sealed - but not for a second did Anderson lose hope. Delivering an unplayable bouncer that knocked over Alex Carey's stumps in the first delivery of the last over.
Australia lost their seventh wicket on the final ball of the match when Ben Stokes got them back to 313-7, leaving England needing just two runs to avoid a crushing defeat and secure a draw. Anderson claimed his second Ashes five-wicket haul in the same Test as he celebrated another incredible contribution to English cricket.
With this brilliant effort from James Anderson, England ensured that the 2021-22 Ashes series would remain alive with one Test still to play at Old Trafford. The visitors have a long way back, but their victory has provided them with some much-needed hope and momentum in what could be a fiercely contested final showdown between these two cricketing nations.
In a thrilling finale to the fourth Test, veteran fast bowler James Anderson conjured up an extraordinary spell to save England from an Ashes whitewash. Playing in his 168th Test match for England, Anderson had one of the most incredible last-ditches in cricket history.
With the score locked at 312-4, Australia needed just three wickets and a draw to seal their first-ever Ashes series win since 1935. But Anderson was determined not to let that happen. The Lancashire paceman produced an inspired sequence of deliveries to reduce England's deficit from 48 runs on the final day to one in the last over.
With Australia on 313-4, Anderson was handed the ball by skipper Joe Root with just two wickets remaining. As he ran up to deliver, it seemed as though his fate had been sealed - but not for a second did Anderson lose hope. Delivering an unplayable bouncer that knocked over Alex Carey's stumps in the first delivery of the last over.
Australia lost their seventh wicket on the final ball of the match when Ben Stokes got them back to 313-7, leaving England needing just two runs to avoid a crushing defeat and secure a draw. Anderson claimed his second Ashes five-wicket haul in the same Test as he celebrated another incredible contribution to English cricket.
With this brilliant effort from James Anderson, England ensured that the 2021-22 Ashes series would remain alive with one Test still to play at Old Trafford. The visitors have a long way back, but their victory has provided them with some much-needed hope and momentum in what could be a fiercely contested final showdown between these two cricketing nations.