"It ranks as one of the luckiest escapes I can remember" - Vaughan on Australia walking away with a draw from the brink of defeat in the 4th Test

Former England captain Michael Vaughan highlighted Australia's dependency on rain over the course of the last two days of the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, Manchester. The Aussies retained the urn after the final day was washed out, which did not allow England to claim the remaining five wickets and level the five-match series at 2-2.

Australia were trailing by 61 runs at 214-5 at Stumps on Day 4 and had to play out the entire Day 5 to retain the Ashes. However, both teams could not take the field on a rain-marred day, thereby giving the contest an anti-climactic ending that Australia would not be complaining about.

Claiming that the Australians were rattled and scared of the England side over the course of the entire Test, Vaughan wrote in his column for the Telegraph:

"Australia were timid, scared and petrified of this England team all week in Manchester and played for rain. Australia were rattled: I can’t remember saying that before. They will know that only rain saved them. It ranks as one of the luckiest escapes I can remember."

In a contest where Australia were comfortably second best, Marnus Labuschagne's return to form emerges as the lone positive for them. The right-handed batter scored a fifty and a hundred in the Test to finally be among the runs in the series.

Further stating that the current Australian outfit is not capable of posting commanding totals, Vaughan wrote:

"Marnus Labuschagne’s improved performance at Old Trafford the only real positive. Australian teams of old would have made 400 in the first innings at Old Trafford. This Australian side looks like a batting unit that doesn’t trust themselves to score big runs, which is why they are getting 30s and 40s."

Australia scored 317 runs in the first innings after being put into bat by Ben Stokes. Several batters got off to a solid start but perished before managing to make it count in the grand scheme of things.

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"That would be the perfect way to say goodbye" - Michael Vaughan on The Oval Test perhaps being the end of an era

While the fate of the urn is sealed, there is a lot to be played for in the series finale at The Oval. Australia still have to at least draw the fifth Test to mark their first red-ball series triumph in England since 2001.

Vaughan also pointed out that the upcoming clash might be pivotal for several veterans like David Warner, Steve Smith, James Anderson, and Stuart Broad.

"The Oval is still a fascinating Test. A number of great players on both sides could sign off at the end of the Oval Test. Obviously Anderson and Stuart Broad are closer to the end than the start of their careers, while David Warner and Steve Smith might be wondering if this is the right time to go too," he wrote.

"Australia are on the brink of something special, winning here for the first time in 22 years. That would be the perfect way to say goodbye," Vaughan added.

The fifth Ashes Test is scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 27, at The Oval in London.