After rain stopped all play in Manchester on Sunday and suspended the ongoing match, Australia lead the internationals against England 2-1 and cannot lose the match series.
As reigning champions, they thus get to go home with the decimetre-high urn.
The big cricket event of the summer was predicted to be an even battle, and it turned out to be as close as expected. Australia won the first two matches, both of which were decided in the final hours of five days of play.
But the victory at Lord’s in London was becoming devastating. One of the team’s most important players, pitcher Nathan Lyon, was injured and without him there was a narrow loss in game three.
England were then heading for an elimination win in the fourth match when the rain came on Saturday. With almost two days of play stopped, however, the English players did not have time to knock out Australia’s players and have to settle for a draw, regardless of the numbers on the scoreboard.
However, the final match, at The Oval in London, will be played as planned starting on Thursday and England will have the chance to at least level the series.
The international match between England and Australia has been played since 1877 every two years, alternating in each country.
Australia have won 34 times to England’s 32 wins.