England denied momentous win by controversial bad light rule

England has been denied what would have been a remarkable victory at The Oval, after the umpires called bad light cheap prom dresses with the home side just 21 runs from victory.

With just four overs remaining, England was 5 for 206 and closing in on the 227 Michael Clarke had set them for victory.

The decision to end play which is effectively out of the umpire's hands meant the match finished in a draw and England retained the Ashes with a 3 0 series win.

The grandstand finish had been set up by an entertaining day's cricket that had seen 17 wickets fall and 447 runs scored.

Clarke had declared his side's second innings at 6 for 111, leaving England 44 overs to chase victory after they had earlier been dismissed for 377 in their first innings.

England began the run chase in a positive fashion, with Cheap NFL Jerseys Alastair Cook (34) and Joe Root (11) both looking to play their strokes.

Jonathan Trott (59) also played a pivotal role in the innings, hitting his highest score of the series as he found his way back in to form.

But in the end it was a technicality that ended the match, as umpires Aleem Dar and HDPK Dharmasena adjudicated that it was too dark for the game to carry on.

Clarke, whose aggressive declaration gave England a sniff at victory, had complained about the light twice in what would be the final over of the day.

Fifth Ashes Test in pictures

Clarke hunts unlikely victory with tea time declarationHe may have been the ire of the sell out 26,000 crowd at The Oval by the close of play, but it was Clarke who gave England hope when he set them an enticing total with the aim of himself taking victory.

Clarke declared his side's innings at tea on 6 for 111 having earlier dismissed England for 377 after some entertaining pinch hitting from Matt Prior (47) and Graeme Swann (34).

The tourists began their second innings with intent, promoting Shane Watson (26) to open with David Warner (12), and moving James Faulkner (22) and Brad Haddin (0) to number three and four, respectively.

Despite the reshuffle, the Australian innings never got out of second gear.

Clarke cheap evening dresses online (28 not out) was the pick of the Australian batsmen, as tailenders Ryan Harris (1) and Mitchell Starc (13 not out) also received promotions at the expense of Chris Rogers, who was seemingly judged to have not been aggressive enough.

The declaration at tea gave Australia 44 overs to take 10 wickets and a morale boosting victory, but Australia's bowlers couldn't make any decisive inroads.

Faulkner makes mark on debutJames Faulkner was the stand out bowler for the Australians, claiming six wickets across the day with 4 for 51 in the first innings and 2 for 47 in the second.

He shared the wickets in the second innings with Ryan Harris named Australia's player of the series who dismissed Root and took the vital wicket of Pietersen.

Root's edge NFL Jerseys Wholesale to Brad Haddin gave the wicket keeper a world record 29 catches for the series, taking him past Rodney Marsh.

Pietersen and Trott looked to have been steering England toward a momentous victory, and with 13 overs remaining needed 79 runs for victory.

Pietersen, whose rapid fire knock was in stark contrast to the first innings where he faced 190 deliveries for his 50, took the game well and truly away from the Australians

By the time he eventually holed out to Warner at long on, Australia could only hope to salvage a draw.

Man of the series Ian Bell (17) and debutant Chris Woakes (17 not out) had the crowd on the edge of their seats as they guided the home side ever closer to victory.

But it was not to be, with Bell's run out to Mitchell Starc giving the officials time to run the much maligned light metre on to the field to the disappointment of the home crowd.

Clarke defends protesting lightAustralia resorted to gamesmanship the final over, going about their business as slowly as possible in an attempt to drag out play and disrupt England.

Starc was greeted with resounding boos as he pulled up at the crease after steaming in for a delivery.