Michael Clarke: Aussies will rise from Ashes Michael Clarke looks to the sky as he leads the team from the ground after rain stopped play during day five of the 3rd Ashes Test match between England and Australia at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground. THE Ashes are gone but Michael Clarke believes Australia's vastly improved showing can be a launching pad for the return series this summer. Clarke quite rightly claims that Australia would have beaten England had bad weather not impacted the last two days, with only 90 minutes possible on the final day. That was enough for Australia to reduce England to 3-37 in pursuit of an unlikely 332 for victory after Clarke declared overnight. The draw leaves England 2-0 up with two Tests to play and the Ashes they can only be lost by defeat in a series. "I think if we can level the series we will take a lot of confidence back to Australia and I am confident that with the type of cricket we played throughout the four days here we will give it a good shake," Clarke said. The equivalent of more than a full day's play was lost because of bad weather. "I thought we were in a pretty good position, there's no doubt about that, and I was hoping to have something between 20 and 25 overs at England last night and then use as many of the 90 overs as required today to bowl them out," said Clarke. Australian captain Michael Clarke poses with his Man of the Match award after day five of the 3rd Ashes Test. That's certainly unfortunate from an Australian perspective. All the boys are quite disappointed at not getting over the line, but in saying that I certainly don't want to take anything away from England. They outplayed us in the first two Test matches, especially at Lord's, and you know when you come to the UK that there is a chance that rain is going to play a part in the series. We got ourselves into the position of being 2-0 down and it was always going to be tough coming back from that. We played very well this Test match, I think the whole team did a wonderful job. Winning the toss probably helped on that wicket as well but I thought all our batters did a great job and our bowlers were excellent. I think we have come back well from Lord's (after being bowled out for 128). We didn't perform anywhere near as well as we would have liked, particularly our batting in the first innings at Lord's, but I think we have shown once again that we are here for the challenge, here for the fight and I think we played really well. The way we batted in the first innings at Lord's hurt me as much as anything in my career, certainly as captain. We got bowled out for 47 against South Africa but at least that wicket was seaming and swinging around. I though the Lord's wicket was a fantastic batting wicket in the first innings. And to be bowled out the way we were was as disappointing as being bowled out for 47 against South Africa.