England have named an unchanged squad for the final Ashes Test but a key decision looms over whether to give Jimmy Anderson a final Ashes farewell.
Australia retained the urn after rain washed out much of day four and all of day five of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, with England very much in the driving seat to win and level the series. Ben Stokes’ side will now look to earn a series draw with victory in the fifth and final Test at The Kia Oval from Thursday, live on Sky Sports Cricket.
Selectors have kept faith with the same 14-man squad that had them on the cusp of a win in the fourth test.
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If Anderson is left out at The Kia Oval, it could mean he has appeared in England whites for the last time with a decision required by the seamer and the selectors regarding his role over the next 12 months with central contracts set to be handed out later this year.
The key selection dilemma for Stokes comes with regard the bowling attack and whether to bring Josh Tongue back in after he impressed at Lord’s, or perhaps Ollie Robinson if he is fit to return.
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Choosing either man to play would surely mean that Anderson’s storied Ashes career would have ended, quite literally, on a bit of a dampener.
England squad
Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
Compton: I wouldn’t play Anderson – but never write him off!
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Former England batsman Nick Compton believes there could be ‘some sense’ to extending Test match playing time after the final day of the fourth Ashes Test was washed out due to rain – and also gives on England’s key selection dilemma
Anderson, who will turn 41 on Sunday, has struggled to take wickets throughout the series, picking up four scalps in three Tests at an average of 76.75.
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He claimed a solitary wicket in the drawn Old Trafford match after being rested for England’s victory at Headingley.
Former England international and Sky Sports Cricket pundit Nick Compton believes that the correct decision would be to drop the veteran for the final Test.
“I personally I wouldn’t [play Anderson],” said Compton. “Jimmy has been outstanding. He’s given his best, as he’s always done. He’s been a little bit unlucky in places, the wickets perhaps haven’t had the pace, nip and bounce that he needs.
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Jimmy Anderson plays keepy-uppy with the cricket ball in between deliveries to Usman Khawaja
“But I think going into The Oval, which is a very good wicket, I think they might need to bring back Robinson who has been England’s outstanding bowler for the last 12 months to two years.
“And they’ve also got Josh Tongue who did excellently in his two Test matches and has a bit more pace and bounce.
“The Oval is a place that does have pace and bounce. You’re putting a lot in the form of Mark Wood, who has been great for two Test matches. Can you sustain that for a third Test match or would you bring in Tongue to try and support him a little bit more to get the speeds up above 80mph?
“I would go that route. I think it’d be very unlucky for Jimmy Anderson, but I think also conditions will prevail.”
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Compton, who played 15 of his 16 England Tests alongside Anderson, points to how his former England team-mate has shown throughout his career that he can come back time and time again and, if selected, he is sure Anderson has more than enough about him to play a starring role.
“Never write Jimmy off. That’s the biggest lesson everyone’s learned,” Compton added.
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Old Trafford roars as Jimmy Anderson hits a boundary
“He’s stubborn and he’s England’s greatest bowler and I think he’s shown the ability to come back time and time again.
“I think he’ll want to put his best foot forward. I think he’ll do everything he can to play in that final Test match and I think if the conditions are right then he might play.
“It’ll be a toss up between him and Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue and I think a lot will depend on the conditions.
“Never write Jimmy off. He’s somebody who will keep fighting to the end. What a great bowler he’s been and servant to England.
“He deserves to finish on the front foot in many ways, and it’d be nice if he did play and help England with a win.”
What options does Stokes have if England decide to change?
Image: England captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum before day one of the third Ashes Test match at Headingley
Historically, even for an all-time great like Anderson, The Kia Oval is far from his best ground – whereas Sussex seamer Robinson got 5-for there last summer against South Africa (5-49), his best Test figures to date.
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Josh Tongue bowls Aussie opener David Warner with an excellent delivery earlier on in the series – here it is from every angle
Tongue, who was released from the Old Trafford squad to play for his county, certainly did his chances of selection no harm with a 5-for of his own as he went 5-29, his best return of the season on the domestic front, to secure victory for Worcestershire over Leicestershire.
Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, who did struggle with stiffness towards the end of the Old Trafford Test, have impressed since being drafted into the XI while Stuart Broad is the leading wicket-taker in the whole Ashes.
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Ollie Robinson shows his wicket-taking prowess by removing Cameron Green and Alex Carey with two more short balls
Robinson claimed 10 wickets in the first three Tests of the series and Tongue caught the eye with his aggression in his one appearance against Australia at Lord’s. They both have more than viable claims for selection.
England’s batting line-up is set to be unchanged with Moeen Ali to continue at three, but a call on Anderson and the other seamers will be made over the next two days.
Stokes: Fifth Test is massive for us | We have become a team people will remember
Stokes remains proud of what his team has achieved during the series and insists they’ll be doing everything to deliver a series-levelling victory in the fifth Test.
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England captain Ben Stokes says Australia retaining The Ashes is tough to take but that the team will do everything to avoid a series defeat at The Oval
He added: “I think a [series decider] would have elevated everything but what we have managed to do has done wonders for cricket in England.
“We will have to get over this disappointment and focus on that game as it is massive for us, 2-2 sounds better than 3-1. The mentality we have within the dressing room is go out and win. Everything we do is to be positive.
“It is an incredible honour to lead this team. I said in the dressing that the rewards for your work are not what you get it’s what you become.
“I think we have become a team people will remember. Regardless of how the series ends up, people will always talk about us.”
“We know we can’t get [the Ashes urn] back. All we can do is draw the series and that is what we will be trying to do.”
Watch the fifth and final Ashes Test, from The Kia Oval, live on Sky Sports Cricket from Thursday. Coverage starts at 10am ahead of the first ball at 11am.
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