Our partners utilize technologies, like biscuits, and gather browsing information to personalise the content and advertising shown for you and to give you the best internet experience.
Please let us know whether you agree.
By Amy Lofthouse
BBC Sport in The Oval
Australia have”unfinished business” and will”constantly improve,” says captain Tim Paine, after the drawn Ashes series ensured the tourists took the urn house.
England won the fifth and final Test at The Oval by 135 runs to draw the series 2-2 and refuse Australia a first series triumph in England.
Paine said the series was not”a finish” for his captaincy and he had”a little piece to devote that distance”.
“The urn is exactly what we came to get,” he told Test Match Special.
“We understood the principles around the Ashes and also a draw is good enough.
“I think there’s lots of improvement within this side. There is always things we could get and there is always firm we could attend .
“I’m excited about a little bit more”
Summer paine was appointed Australia captain in the aftermath of this ball-tampering scandal in March 2018 and mimicked the house of last year.
Asked about how the team had turned around as the events from South Africa, Paine said:”It started before this Ashes series. It had been there in the lead-up before the World Cup.
“From where we have come from, to make a World Cup semi-final and keep the Ashes is still a very major accomplishment from what this team has been through.”
Batsman Steve Smith won the Compton-Miller medal because of his astonishing series that saw him score 774 runs in 110.57.
Smith returned to Test cricket at Edgbaston after serving a year old ban for his role in the ball-tampering event and has been booed throughout the series’ opening stages.
But the crowd at The Oval gave him a standing ovation after his wicket was claimed by England for the last moment.
“I discovered that I got applause. This was a wonderful reception now, I got and it meant a lot to get it from the audience.
“The show has ebbed and flowed. I’ve loved every minute and I am very proud of how I’ve been able to functionality for Australia and to deliver the urn house.
“You always need to get better as a player. Keep working hard and nothing is ever too much”
Smith also thanked Dani, his wife, and his family for their support .
“It is our very first wedding anniversary today. She’d hate me if I did not mention that,” Smith stated in his post-match news conference.
“The support she’s given me over here, I can’t thank her enough.”
Paine added that the experience in England of keeping the Ashes would be something he would”never forget”.
“I did not think I would still do it [that the captaincy], to be honest,” he added.
“I am very lucky to be in the position I’m in.”
Australia leave all the world’s number one batsman in Smith Pat Cummins, and number one bowler to England.
But much like England, their batting has struggled – with the exclusion of Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, their top and middle order haven’t contributed.
David Warner ends the series with 95 runs from 10 Test innings – the cheapest yield for any opener in a five Test series – and Australia have tried two openers at Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris, neither of whom have particularly impressed.
Matthew Wade bookended the excursion but there are questions within Usman Khawaja, Warner and Travis Head.
Australia will leave a sense of disappointment about not having the ability to close out a series win.
“Tim Paine is going to have a couple questions relating to this throw,” former Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath stated, after Paine opted to bowl first on a great batting track.
“England acquired a great deal out of this last Evaluation and 2-2 isn’t too way off the mark”
Analysis and opinion from the BBC’s cricket correspondent.