James Anderson has been recalled for England’s vital Fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford this week, with Ollie Robinson dropping out of the side.
After indifferent showings in the first two Tests of the series, Anderson was rested for the victory at Headingley that saw the hosts peg the scoreline back to 2-1 but returns in the only change to the XI that played in Leeds.
The veteran seamer referred to a flat wicket in the opener at Edgbaston as his “kryptonite” and also struggled for impact at Lord’s, failing to take advantage of helpful conditions on the opening morning before being unsuited by the short-ball tactics that prevailed for both sides as the game wore on.
The 41-year-old took just three wickets at an average of 75 in those matches, and will be desperate for better returns on his home ground, having been given the nod over Robinson, who suffered a back spasm during Australia’s first innings at Headingley and did not bowl again in the match.
Moeen Ali, meanwhile, has been carded to bat at No3, as he did in the second innings in Leeds.
Following Ollie Pope’s series-ending shoulder injury, Harry Brook was promoted to the role for the first time in his Test career but the experiment was shelved after he made just three in the first innings, with Moeen volunteering to go up the order during England’s chase.
While the all-rounder was out cheaply, Brook returned to his regular slot at No5 and played a vital hand of 75 to anchor the pursuit.
With the series on the line and a nine-day gap between Tests, England have backed fast bowler Mark Wood and Chris Woakes to back up their outstanding displays at Headingley.
Both were short on red-ball cricket heading into their first outings of the series, but Wood took a first innings five-for in a blistering spell, while Woakes claimed six wickets across the match, before the pair combined to see England home with the bat.
England have again opted for a bowling-heavy balance, with Stuart Broad completing a four-pronged seam attack. The Nottinghamshire man is the series’ leading wicket-taker so far and will play his fifth consecutive Test of the summer.
England had moved to swiftly quell any speculation over Jonny Bairstow’s place behind the stumps by naming an unchanged squad for Old Trafford last week, resisting calls for Ben Foakes to return to the fold.
As such, Bairstow will again take the gloves, despite having squandered eight chances of varying difficulty so far in the series and failed to make a telling contribution with the bat since his run-a-ball 78 in the first innings at Edgbaston.
