Ashes 2023: Robert Craddock live Q&A after Fourth Test

Bazball is real – but Australia has the Ashes. Robert Craddock answers the burning questions on a remarkable series. Replay his live Q&A.

It seems weird and it is …

In the same Test Australia officially retains the Ashes England provides the batting masterclass that proves beyond doubt their Bazball creed is truly capable of taking on the world.

England’s 592 runs off 107.4 overs at Old Trafford may well be remembered as the greatest monstering of a decorated Australian attack – including five seamers, if you don’t mind – of modern times.

If England can do that against Australia, they can do it against anyone.

Pat Cummins seemed almost sheepish about retaining the urn after a washed out game but, while you can understand the muted celebration, he does not have to apologise for anything.

Australia lost all four tosses and their only world-class spinner along the way, and had the worst of the conditions in the first half of the series.

They won the first two Tests, narrowly lost the third then played negative, confused cricket in the fourth after doing something Australian sides never normally do – play for a draw.

But the “balance sheet’’ of Australia’s win is most unusual.

Incredibly, Australia has retained the Ashes despite having no bowler average less than 29 runs per wicket or less than four runs per over. That has never happened before and surely won’t again.

This is a wacky stat which would normally mean Australia batted the house down to keep the urn, but that was not the case either.

This was a series where different players found a way of chipping in just when Australia needed them.

With one Test to play Australia’s three experienced fast men are locked in a band together with Cummins taking 16 wickets at 33, Mitchell Starc 15 wickets at 29 and Josh Hazlewood 15 wickets at 29.

In other words, none have had blinders or shockers.

They’ve faced the Bazball fury and hung in there, had their moments, and finished with respectable bottom lines.

Oddly enough, the most telling difference between the sides was the wicketkeepers in the first two Tests, when Alex Carey was in sublime form and Jonny Bairstow had a shocker.