Postpublished at 11:56 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
We've just got to hope that there is no more rain in the next hour.
We could hopefully get some cricket by 13:15 or just after then.
Summary
Persistent rain on day five ensures fourth Test ends in draw
Australia have retained the Ashes
Tourists will take 2-1 lead into final Test at The Oval
Postpublished at 11:56 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Postpublished at 11:55 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Old TraffordPeople will, as often happens in these situations, ask why they can't start straight away, rather than wait until 13:00 BST at the earliest. But I can see the super sopper picking up lots of water as it rolls up and down. They need to shift the water off the other sheets too.
Postpublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Old TraffordWe have more news...
The pitch inspection will be at 12:15 BST. The players are then going to take lunch at 12:20 so we won't have play before 13:00.
Postpublished at 11:52 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
There will be a pitch inspection at 12:15 BST.
Postpublished at 11:49 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Old TraffordJoel Wilson and Nitin Menon have separated and headed to chat of the dressing rooms after a chat with the boss of the groundstaff.
Postpublished at 11:46 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Michael Vaughan
Former England captain on BBC Test Match SpecialThe wind has died down too, it's not as lively as it was an hour or go.
Postpublished at 11:45 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Old TraffordCheers as the groundstaff remove the first of the covers...
Postpublished at 11:43 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
I can see Martin Saggers walking out to the middle with the head groundstaff.
They did a lot of cleaning up earlier and the rain we've just had, despite it going on for almost an hour, was never that heavy so hopefully shouldn't take too long to clean up.
Postpublished at 11:42 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match SpecialThis is the best it's looked. There's clouds around but they are nicer clouds and they're broken. It's looking good and there's another umbrella that has come down from the stewards.
Postpublished at 11:38 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Miss the cricket we had yesterday?
Have a watch of our highlights.
Postpublished at 11:33 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Yes, Matthew. Yes.
Postpublished at 11:33 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Old Trafford
Should I get excited about that brighter area in the sky behind the stands? It’s where the rain is coming from…
Postpublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Thanks Timothy.
I have very little to say right now, it's still raining.
The groundstaff are hidden away with just some poor security guards stood on the outfield with their brollies up.
They are some hardy souls still sat in the stands, which suggests the rain isn't too bad though.
Postpublished at 11:29 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
I'm off to browse the adverts you find in the back of Sunday newspaper magazines in the hope of finding some bargain waterproofs to get me through the rest of the summer.
Rest assured, you are in safe hands in the form of Callum Matthews. A man who knows his super-soppers from his hover-covers.
He will guide you through this rain delay until when play starts.
Emphasis on when, there.
Postpublished at 11:25 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Glenn McGrath
Ex-Australia bowler on BBC Test Match SpecialWe didn't think we would get on the ground yesterday and we ended up with 30 overs. It's not the end of the world rain at the moment.
Postpublished at 11:21 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Old TraffordFourth umpire Martin Saggers is sat down with the groundstaff as the rain sets in again. Channel Nine’s reporter has his brolly up as he stands in front of the camera.
Postpublished at 11:15 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match SpecialThere are some light showers coming but it is not the big stuff.
The sheets that cover the bowlers run-ups are back on.
It is only very light drizzle.
get involved Get Involved - ZlatzQuizpublished at 11:10 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
#bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)
John Miller: My answer to Andy Zaltzman's quiz of how many times that the sides have been dismissed for under 200 between 1994 and 2021 is England 49 times and Australia 16.
Phill: Re ZaltzQuiz....a) 24 for Australia b) 42 for England.
Henry DiStasio: Considering England’s 90s and late 2010s form, they’re gonna be quite high. I’ll go a) Australia - 28 and b) England - 55.
Postpublished at 11:07 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Old TraffordI'll be honest with you. It's not very pleasant out there now. It's grey and the drizzle is quite persistent.
There are a few people in the ground and most are huddling under umbrellas.
The covers are firmly in place.
Postpublished at 11:00 British Summer Time 23 July 2023
Image source, Getty ImagesPlay until 10:00pm, Joe? Really?!
Where do you stand on that one, folks?
Thumbs up if you agree with Joe, thumbs down if you don't.