Live Reporting
Callum Matthews and Timothy Abraham
Postpublished at 18:30 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:30 BST 23 July 2023
Time for us to leave it there for the fourth Test. Thank you for all your company, particularly during two very frustrating days over the weekend.
The thoughts of both Ben Stokes and Pat Cummins are below and you can scroll back through for all the best reaction and analysis.
Today at the Test is on BBC Two and iPlayer from 19:00 BST. The team will be reacting to this Test and Australia retaining the urn.
We'll be back for the fifth Test at The Oval on Thursday. Will England win and draw the series?
It's bound be a cracker. See you then.
Postpublished at 18:29 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:29 BST 23 July 2023
Michael Vaughan
Former England captain on BBC Test Match SpecialCummins hasn't been quite at his best, whether that's tiredness or England playing him with a bit more of that aggressive nature and putting him under more pressure. The Aussies are singing: "Stand up if you're 2-1 up".
I think you can tell from Pat Cummins face that his team have got away with one here.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 18:28 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:28 BST 23 July 2023
Via WhatsApp on 03301231826
Despite what’s happened in this match, Test cricket is the winner here, it’s gained so many fans and has reinstated itself as the most exciting format of the game under BazBall. Win at the Oval and we’ll regain the Ashes in Australia next time round!
James in Plymouth
'If Australia play like this at The Oval, England will absolutely wipe them'published at 18:25 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:25 BST 23 July 2023
Michael Vaughan
Former England captain on BBC Test Match SpecialI'll be interested to see how Australia play at the Oval and whether or not they try to be positive. If England win at the Oval, they deserve it because they have been the better side. I'm intrigued by selection and mindset at the Oval.
If Australia play the way they have in this test then England will absolutely wipe them.
'Australia came to survive'published at 18:23 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:23 BST 23 July 2023
Glenn McGrath
Ex-Australia bowler on BBC Test Match SpecialYou need to be playing good shots more often than not. Australia went into this Test with the mindset of survive which isn't how you want to be, but that's exactly what they did.
You need to back yourself that you're better. This pitch is probably the best pitch we've seen, you have to try a few things and mix up the pace. Their goal was to drag this innings out as long as possible but the goal of the bowler and the bowling team was to take wickets.
See AlsoFixture confirmed for dual Ashes series, Afghan Test | cricket.com.auAshes: England in Australia - all you need to know about the 2021-22 seriesWest Test to launch 2025-26 Ashes summer | cricket.com.auThe Ashes LIVE: Australia v England score, commentary, highlights & updates from third Test in MelbournePostpublished at 18:21 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:21 BST 23 July 2023
Michael Vaughan
Former England captain on BBC Test Match SpecialEngland are a team that learn quickly now.
The bouncer tactic worked against them at Lord's but it hasn't since because England have changed things.
They won't want to be the first England team to lose at home since 2001 so there is an awful lot for them to play for at The Oval next week.
Postpublished at 18:20 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:20 BST 23 July 2023
Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match SpecialIt's disappointing it's ended this way. I think Stokes is right about anyone questioning the declaration, it was always going to rain for both days but it's been another thrilling series and I'm looking forward to the next one.
'Anderson pick may have cost England'published at 18:18 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:18 BST 23 July 2023
Michael Vaughan
Former England captain on BBC Test Match SpecialWe all agreed that James Anderson deserved to have that sentimental pick this week because he's a legend of the game, but it may have cost England.
Josh Tongue is a young quick who has created impact in the one Test I played. I know Australia don't like facing him.
In the three games Anderson has played he's had no impact at all. I don't remember him picking up a key wicket. It's not like him at all.
Postpublished at 18:16 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:16 BST 23 July 2023
You've read Ben Stokes' thought on this drawn Test and England being unable to win the Ashes but here they are in video form.
Postpublished at 18:14 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:14 BST 23 July 2023
Michael Vaughan
Former England captain on BBC Test Match SpecialThe next generation that come through are going to be playing like this and it's not done yet for the England fans.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 18:13 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:13 BST 23 July 2023
#bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)
Anyone fancy our chances of regaining down under?
Tel, Basingstoke
'England could be a great team with more intensity'published at 18:09 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:09 BST 23 July 2023
Glenn McGrath
Ex-Australia bowler on BBC Test Match SpecialLooking at those stats Andy, England should be up 3-0. And why aren't they? Because they don't have the intensity they need.
Bazball's great but if you're just joking around and taking it casually, things are going to happen like dropped catches and all these little things that make a good team into a great team. This team has the ability to be a great team if they switch on with more intensity.
How's stat?!published at 18:07 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:07 BST 23 July 2023
Andy Zaltzman
Cricket statistician on Test Match SpecialPicking up on what Michael Vaughan was saying about England being the better side, looking at runs per wicket between the two sides, we've had three very close Tests, but then England were decisively better in this game. 36.9 runs per wicket to England and 32.6 for Australia. So England are 4.3 runs per wicket better than Australia.
That's England's biggest superiority over Australia in a home Ashes series since 1985. Even the series that they've won in 2005, 2009, 2013. They haven't been this far ahead in terms of runs per wicket. The huge difference is scoring rate. England are 4.68 to Australia's 3.39. That's the biggest difference in scoring rate between the two teams in any Ashes series ever played.
'We will live long in the memories of those who have watched us'published at 18:05 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:05 BST 23 July 2023
England's captain Ben Stokes speaking to BBC Sport about the legacy of the England team: "I'm not sure if Australia were surprised that something like that could happen because they have watched us play over the last 18 months and know on our best days we can put any team under the pressure like we did there, but next week is a new game.
"We want to leave the Test match summer with a win, the reward for your work isn't what you get, it's what you become. We've become a team that have been so unbelievably well followed and we will live long in the memories of those who have watched us.
"As much as I would love to be an Ashes winning captain, I want this team to be a legacy team and regardless of what happens over the next period, this 18 months will go down in history as one of the most exciting and proactive teams to go out there and represent England.
"There are some tired bodies and we have a short period until the Oval so we will have to see who is fit then."
Crawley's century 'one of the great Ashes hundreds'published at 18:03 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:03 BST 23 July 2023
More from England captain Ben Stokes, talking to BBC Sport, about opener Zak Crawley: "Honestly, one of the great Ashes hundreds as an opening batter. It was just incredible viewing from ball one. Going out there and knowing we had to score at a good rate plays into his favour with the way he plays. He's such a player that can have an impact on the game but when you have him batting out there like he did, you really see why he is the current England opening batter."
Difficult to 'force a result in this game' - Stokespublished at 18:01 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
18:01 BST 23 July 2023
England's captain Ben Stokes speaking to BBC Sport: "To play the cricket that we played over the first three days in a game we knew we had to win, it's obviously disappointing to not be able to walk away from here with it being 2-2.
"When you look back at the cricket that was played, we did everything we possibly could.
"Regardless of what we did we would have ended up in the same situation. I don't think anyone who is going to question the declaration in this game probably doesn't understand the game as well as we do. We've got three hours of cricket in two days, I don't think whatever we did, we would have been able to force a result in this game and that is unfortunately due to the weather. But it is what it is.
'It's ruined our luck a little bit'published at 17:59 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
17:59 BST 23 July 2023
England's batter Zak Crawley, the player of the match, speaking to BBC Sport: "It's my second player of the match so I'm happy with it but pretty flat at the moment, the whole side is. I'm happy I played so I'll take that.
"I've done nothing all day, just stared out the window hoping for some chance to play. We thought at 13:00 BST we might get some play but then it started raining and the lads kind of knew it was coming. It's ruined our luck a little bit but Ben Stokes said we keep building as a side and we don't like to focus on a result and this was a great game for us so we need to take it forward into future series.
"We bowled so well on day one to get that many wickets, I thought it was quite a flat wicket and then we scored quickly because we knew there was rain coming.
"There were a few more nerves around so maybe no one was really performing from both sides. I feel like both sides at Edgbaston weren't at their best and here we are and we've eased into the series more.
"We take every game as it comes and the next game is a very important Ashes match and get it 2-2. It's a massive game for us."
'First two Tests have cost England - they weren't game sharp'published at 17:57 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
17:57 BST 23 July 2023
Michael Vaughan
Former England captain on BBC Test Match SpecialEnglish cricket has found a method and a way, all the young players that are coming they have found a way. I would've loved for it to be 2-2.
Bazball is a over a year old now and this series has been a great series to watch but those first two Test matches were too costly. I'll always say this, I don't think they were game sharp the first Test. Love Bazball and keep going with it but you need to give your bowlers some leg time.
'Not the best circumstances but really good effort'published at 17:55 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
17:55 BST 23 July 2023
Australia's captain Pat Cummins speaking to BBC Sport: "Obviously not the best circumstances but really good effort, we're going to try to win it but retaining it is nice.
"I think 2019 felt a bit different, it was a climax right at the end on day five so this one feels a little bit different. Probably not been our best week so rain helped us out a bit there.
"I think England played well. There's been patches throughout this series where they have played really well and the wickets haven't had a lot in them, it's ebbed and flowed the whole series. It's been nice. We'll review a couple things, we weren't our best there particularly that middle session on day two but nothing we haven't seen before.
"Every plan you try doesn't necessarily mean it's going to work. Crawley batted really well for his runs. You always come up with different plans but against good wickets and opposition, it's not always going to work.
"It's a really similar group to that 2019 group so whatever happens today doesn't really change the way we look at next week. We're here to win and want to try and do something that an Aussie team hasn't done for 20-odd years so that's really exciting. No-one in our group has done that before."
Postpublished at 17:53 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
17:53 BST 23 July 2023
Glenn McGrath
Ex-Australia bowler on BBC Test Match SpecialI love BazBall but it doesn't feel like England have quite thrown everything at it.
If they played ruthless cricket they could be 3-0 now.
BazBall with a bit more ruthlessness and smarts is the perfect way to go. That is what has been missing from this England side.