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McCullum finished by cautioning England against getting too emotional about the matter, saying he regretted the Black Caps’ gleeful celebrations upon winning a game at The Oval off the last ball, after they were left fuming over Grant Elliott’s controversial run-out.

What England can still hope is for their last four wickets to carry on batting until the heavens open.

He said that “Michael has been a mainstay in the Australia team during a very successful period in its history”.

Australia’s captain Michael Clarke receives a guard of honour from his Australia teammates as he leaves the field after Australia wrap up the game on the fourth day of the fifth Ashes cricket test match between England and Australia at The Oval cricket ground in London, on...

Earlier, a ninth-wicket stand of 57 between Moeen Ali and Mark Wood saved just a few, but not many, of England’s blushes before the same pair both fell to Johnson in a fitting anti-climax to an unsatisfactory batting display.

At stumps on the second day of the fifth Test, England had slumped to 107 for eight in reply to Australia’s first innings 481 – a huge deficit of 374 runs.

Joe Root was 33 not out and Jonny Bairstow two not out in a match where an England victory would give them an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the five-match series and see them regain the Ashes.

Mitchell Starc was out for 11, making it 119-9, falling in Broad’s wicket maiden.

At lunch, Australia were 14 without loss in their second innings – still 317 runs behind – as England eyed a win that would put them 3-1 up in the five-match series and see them regain the Ashes.

Mitchell Starc struggled for control in the first three tests before claiming six wickets at Trent Bridge and with Josh Hazlewood proving steady but none too penetrating the Australian attack was toothless.

Chris Rogers was eight not out and David Warner one not out.

Here’s a recap of Anderson’s wickets.

His record at The Oval is less stellar – 35 wickets at 33 – but his loss would be a huge boon for the Australians, who this afternoon were fighting to cling on in the third Test at Edgbaston.

Whatever the decision, the pressure surrounding the selection has been reduced immeasurably by the re-emergence of Steven Finn. He is tired of the questions of how it all went so badly wrong and prefers to concentrate on the future when he hopes to be the leader of the England attack.

In reply Alastair Cook and Adam Lyth survived two overs to go in 4-0, leaving 117 more runs to get if they are to go 2-1 up in the series.