Some punchy pre-play reading here from Barney Ronay:
Then, of course, Stuart Broad turned Sunday here into a Stuart Broad story, right from the start when he was sent out to hit a final commemorative six. Was this the right stuff, really, for the sharp end of the series, the guard of honour energy, the weirdly sensual and sombre Sky TV homages, as though covering the death of a much-loved global statesman in a suicide pact with the Blue Peter dog.
And really, why not just retire the day after the series ends? It is hard to imagine a more distracting way of doing this, a day of potentially era-defining Test cricket recast as the launch of a new media brand. There will be cries that one of England’s great Test bowlers needs a chance to wave goodbye. But why? This is not the Love Island finale. It’s a brilliantly engaging Test series with a knife-edge finish to come. Spare us the Viking funeral, just for now.
As ever, please do get in touch – the OBO is nowt without its readers. You can drop me an Email or tweet @Jimbo_Cricket with any thoughts – nuanced or simply BANG wrong – the mailbag is open to all. Within reason. I’m looking at you. Yes you.
Let’s do a little reflection, what have been your moments of the series?
Good news – it is brightening up a little here at the Oval. The Aussies are out on the field doing some soccerball shenanigans, England are doing a bit of catching practice. Just so bloomin’ orthodox these guys.
Bad news – we’re all going to be put through the emotional mangle for one last time. Wouldn’t have it any other way?
"It would be the second biggest chase in Australia's history and here in England!" 👀
Australia need 249 runs to win the final Ashes Test and win the series 3-1! Will they do it? 😬 pic.twitter.com/f2tCgpdGDt
Hello and welcome to the final day of Ashes cricket 2023. Remember that sun soaked day at Edgbaston back in mid-June? Feels about 22 years ago now… which coincidentally is the last time Australia lifted the urn on these shores.
Pat Cummins and his men need 249 more runs to pull off what would be an incredible victory and take the series emphatically 3-1. Ben Stokes and co require ten wickets to level it 2-2. It’s all boiled down to this final day in south London. It promises to be wild whatever happens… unless the weather intervenes (again).
It is currently – official term – mizzling at the Oval. It is very grey and dark too. We’ve got 50 minutes til the start time at 11am and the skies could well have cleared by then but I wouldn’t fancy them starting in these gunmetal conditions.
The forecast isn’t too bad actually, my sources tell me there should be plenty of play across the day. Here’s hoping.
All results are possible then as we step for one final time into the breach. Here, take my hand, let’s jump in together.