Andy Flower Set to Retire After Ashes - A Look Back at the 2013 Ashes Series

The 2013 Ashes is set to the end on a bit of a bum note with rain likely to render what was already a dead-rubber of a last test meaningless anyway.

Australia's big first innings over two days meant England's chances of a historic 4-0 success were gone even despite rain completely ruling out play yesterday.

Nevertheless, 3-0 is still a great result for English cricket and quite unprecedented in this day of age even if it isn't quite a surprise given Australia's recent results - they were walloped 3-0 in India too earlier this year.

Indeed, the series finale has the feel of the final day of school, devoid of the drama that made the 2005 and 2009 Ashes series so thrilling to watch and so memorable. It is only natural considering that the Ashes were wrapped up two weeks ago thanks to rain in Manchester and the series win itself was wrapped up a week later in Chester-le-Street.

A rather limp way to retain the Ashes - Manchester 2013

While this series has produced some thrilling cricket, 2005 it is most certainly not, and indeed, the amount of drama in this series would struggle to fill a test in the 2009 series. Ironically, the now-expected English success in the cricket against Australia might very well have turned its own people to the football - the Premier League kicked off on the same weekend the series was won by England.

Gareth Bale's transfer saga has definitely got the edge in the papers over James Anderson's historic accomplishments.

James Anderson started the summer with a bang but went missing in the middle

But enough of the negative side. Let's look back at a series which is rumoured to be coach, Andy Flower's last at home - the former Zimbabwean international is set to retire from the position as test coach after the return series in Australia and would like to retire on top of his game, ala Jackie Stewart and Casey Stoner.

Andy Flower might call it quits early next year

It was a series where England was thoroughly the dominant team in batting and bowling but the gap perhaps wasn't as big as many thought, with Australia competent in both areas and showing at times to be superior in skill. Indeed, on that front, Australia were pretty much as they have been in the past, topping the batting and bowling charts.

Usman Khawaja given out caught behind despite no evidence of him hitting the ball 

But the reason why England have won the series 3-0 is in their heads - yes, they made mistakes but certainly they made less of them than the Aussies who at times looked brash and panicked. Emotion looked to have gotten to the likes of senior players like Shane Watson and Michael Clarke - such a contrast to their predecessors who were men of steel.

One thing that will stand out long from this series - and probably ruined the series somewhat - was the awful standard of umpiring on the field and upstairs. There appeared to be a lack of consistency in decisions and many of the television umpire's decisions left many scratching their heads, e.g. Khawaja's caught behind dismissal that wasn't.

Anyway, here's my team of the series.

Chris Rogers
Joe Root
Michael Clarke (captain)
Ian Bell
Shane Watson
Steve Smith
Brad Haddin (wk)
Stuart Broad

Ryan Harris

Graeme Swann
James Anderson

Anderson, Swann and Bell - England's 3 most prolific men this summer

Chris Rogers had a summer to remember in the autumn of his career

Ashton Agar's 98 was the moment of the summer