England captain Ben Stokes has spent the past week immersing himself in the story of The Godfather and is ready to make Australia an offer they can’t refuse in this latest must-win Ashes Test
Both sides have everything to play for at Old Trafford, with the tourists seeking a first series win on English soil since 2001 and Stokes’ side hungry for a victory that would tie the scores at 2-2 and set up a thrilling decider at The Oval.
The growing sense of anticipation around the fourth Test is only dampened by an uncompromising weather outlook, with plenty of rain forecast over the weekend, but Stokes has made it clear that he cannot abide draws and is willing to pull every lever in his power to achieve positive results.
To read what else the England captain had to say, please go here.
Ashes fixtures and full schedule
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First Test, Edgbaston, Birmingham – June 16-20 (Australia won by two wickets)
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Second Test, Lord’s, London – June 28-July 2 (Australia won by 43 runs)
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Third Test, Headingley, Leeds – July 6-10 (England won by three wickets)
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Fourth Test, Old Trafford, Manchester – July 19-23
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Fifth Test, The Oval, London – July 27-31
Trent Bridge has missed out on hosting a men’s Test, although it was the venue for the one-off Test in the women’s Ashes.
What time does each Test match start?
All five Tests are designated ‘day’ matches, commencing at 11am (BST), and each day’s play is scheduled to last until 6pm, although time can be made up to 6.30pm, if no breaks in play, to facilitate 90 overs. Lunch will be at 1pm and last for 40 minutes and tea at 3.40pm for 20 minutes.
What is England’s record in the Ashes at each ground?
What TV channel is the Ashes on? How can I follow it in the UK?
Live coverage
Sky has the rights for domestic Tests and is broadcasting all five matches exclusively live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event.
More people tuned into the Edgbaston Test than any other in Sky’s history, with the peak audience of 2.12 million narrowly beating the figures for the 2019 Ashes Test at Headingley, when Ben Stokes marshalled an extraordinary England heist.
TV highlights
The BBC has a highlights package and shows Today at the Test on BBC2 at 7pm after each day’s play.
Radio coverage
The BBC has the radio rights for domestic Tests and features ball-by-ball coverage (unless you are listening on longwave during the shipping forecast) on Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and via the BBC Sounds app.
TMS coverage is led as usual by Jonathan Agnew, alongside what it calls “an iconic commentary team” comprising Isa Guha, Simon Mann, Alison Mitchell, Daniel Norcross and Jim Maxwell, with summarisers Michael Vaughan, Sir Alastair Cook, Phil Tufnell, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Ebony Rainford Brent, Vic Marks and Alex Hartley. Andy Zaltzman returns as scorer.
Who is in the Ashes squads?
England vice-captain Ollie Pope has been ruled out of the remainder of the summer with a serious shoulder injury sustained during the second Ashes Test at Lord’s. It is the third serious shoulder injury of his career, although the previous two have been to his left shoulder. The latest injury will require surgery.
Meanwhile, spinner Nathan Lyon has been ruled out of the rest of the Ashes with a calf tear.
England look set to recall James Anderson for the fourth test with Ollie Robinson likely to make away after suffering a back spasm at Headingley due to a back spasm is most likely to make way for the veteran spinner -– while Josh Tongue who impressed at Lord’s in the second Test could also feature.
For the fourth Test, Pat Cummins has confirmed Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green will play at Old Trafford with Scott Boland and Todd Murphy making way.
England squad for fourth Ashes Test
Ben Stokes (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Australia squad for fourth Ashes Test
Pat Cummins (captain) David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood
What are the players saying?
Stokes has made it one of the founding principles of his tenure as skipper to re-energise the five-day format, casting his teams as entertainers as well as athletes and making a clear bid to draw new fans to the Test arena.
England captain is desperate to deliver a fitting climax by setting up a winner-takes-all finale but hopes the feelgood factor can outlive the series regardless of outcome.
“I hope this craze around cricket doesn’t get lost if things don’t go our way in this Ashes,” he said.
“I think we have captured the imagination of a few more people, whereas 2019 felt like we were getting a lot of cricket fans coming up to us and saying well done, now it’s more people who don’t even like cricket.”
What is the recent history of the Ashes?
England are bidding to regain the Ashes for the first time since 2017. Going into the series, Ben Stokes’s side had an awful lot going for them, winning 10 of their first 12 Tests under his captaincy, and also enjoy a superior record in the past five home series against their most venerable opponent, four of which were won and the last, in 2019, drawn.
After losing the first Ashes of the 21st century 4-1 on Steve Waugh’s last tour here, England won back the Ashes in memorable style in 2005, regained them in 2009, both times by margins of 2-1, retained them 3-0 in 2013, won them back by 3-2 in 2015 and rallied to square the series 2-2 four years ago even though they were unable to prevent the holders preserving their possession of the urn.
In the 1980s and 1990s England’s home Ashes series were elongated to encompass six Tests but since the conclusion of Australia’s 1997 tour they have been wisely reduced to five and that remains the format this time around.
There is one significant and controversial difference, however, because of the 50-over World Cup in October, which England will begin as defending champions, and the desire of the England and Wales Cricket Board to give its Hundred competition an August showcase, the marquee Test series will take part before high summer and only the final Test will be held after the state schools break up for the long holiday.
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