England failed to record their first ever 4-0 Ashes triumph over Australia as bad light ended their exhilarating run chase at The Oval this evening.
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The Aussies had declared with a lead of 226 as they looked to bowl England out in the final session of the summer series.
Alastair Cook and Joe Root got the hosts off and running but their partnership didn't last long as the latter edged a Ryan Harris delivery to Brad Haddin. It was a significant take from the Aussie keeper as he broke the record for most catches in a Test series.
That brought Jonathan Trott to the crease and he and Cook amassed a 50 partnership before the skipper was given out lbw off the bowling of James Faulkner.
The introduction of Kevin Pietersen saw the momentum swing as the number four went at better than a run a ball, bashing the fastest ever Ashes 50 from an Englishman in just 36 balls.
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As the clock ticked past 7pm, England needed 64 runs from the final 10 overs.
The first ball of the last 10 saw the end of Pietersen though as he pulled Harris into the deep where David Warner took the catch at long-on.
England's run rate slumped once Pietersen had gone and in the next over Trott went after making 59 from 87 balls when he too was trapped lbw by Faulkner.
Chris Woakes and Ian Bell picked up where Pietersen left off and headed into the final six overs with 36 required, needing exactly a run a ball.
They were on course to complete a famous victory when, with four overs left, Bell was brilliantly run out by Mitchell Starc and the umpires brought out their light meters, determining that it was too dark to continue with just 21 more runs needed.
