‘I think 2-2 would be fair’ - Zak Crawley optimistic of England's victory in Ashes 2023 finale at Kennington Oval

Despite losing the first two Test matches of the ongoing Ashes 2023, England didn’t lose confidence as they managed to win the third one and were on the verge of winning the fourth match but rain ruined their chances. With that, the home team failed to bring back the urn as Australia managed to retain the Ashes. 

Following which, opener Zak Crawley stated that the team is disappointed but backing themselves to win the fifth and final Test at Kennington Oval. He added saying that the entire series has been pretty thrilling and could have gone either way and thus, to finish it on level terms will be ideal. 

He also believes that losing the Ashes isn’t the end of everything for England. He stated that skipper Ben Stokes is trying to build a team that can challenge any opponent and believes that it is the start of a new chapter for them in red-ball cricket.

“I think 2-2 would be fair. They had the better of us at Lord's, Edgbaston could have gone either way. We probably deserved this one and Headingley could have gone either way. So I think two-all would be right. We'll see, hopefully, we can get it.

“We'll play the same way and to know we can make a big score. It suits us to have a little in the wicket - we'll see what happens. That's the beauty of a five-Test series; you get a look at them, and work out tactics and nuances. I've never played a five-match series before this one. We're massively up for it. And as Stokesy (Ben Stokes) says, we're building as a team, this isn't the end just because it's the Ashes. It's very much the start, hopefully,” Crawley was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

Notably, the final episode of this thrilling affair will start on July 27. England will be fighting for their pride to end the series on level terms while Australia have the golden opportunity to win a Test series on English soil for the first time since 2001. Thus, both teams are expected to come hard at each other in London.