England has dropped jason Roy and Ben Stokes will Perform as a specialist batsman at the final Ashes Test against Australia.
Stokes was confined to 10.5 overs at Old Trafford a week after injuring his right shoulder in Australia’s first innings and are not going to bowl in south London from Thursday as England seem to make a 2-2 series draw.
Sam Curran has been hailed as a fourth largest seam-bowling option to cover, meaning batsman Roy – who has scored only 110 runs from the show at an average of 13.75 – manufactures way, although Chris Woakes has been remembered in place of fellow paceman Craig Overton.
England captain Joe Root stated:”It’s always hard to leave men out but Stokesy picked up a shoulder injury in the last game.
“He won’t be able to bowl the overs you’d normally expect him and I think that it will be a danger to take him into the match as a fourth seamer.
“He might have the ability to bowl a couple of overs here and there but his batting is, since this series indicates , a gigantic part of this side and he deserves to be in the group as a top-four batter.
“With that we have had to change the balance of the side along with Jason is the unlucky one to overlook.
“Jason has an opportunity to come in and play Test cricket and get a feel for this and it’s not quite gone as he’d have liked, but I am sure he’ll go away and work really hard and return again.
“That is exactly what you expect of men when they get made out. I am sure he will have that attitude. Put himself back and he’ll want to prove a point.
“He is very aware of where he’s in and what he wants to do to get himself in the best spot to perform in Test cricket.”
Australia – who retained the Ashes with a 185-run success in Manchester on Sunday – will make at least one alteration with all all-rounder Mitchell Marsh coming in for part time spinner Travis Head and batsman, at The Oval.
Peter Siddle will hope to split up the pace attack of Mitchell Starc Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, and was appointed in a 12-man group.
“The bowlers bowled a great deal of overs [at Old Trafford] so earning Mitchell will relieve a good deal of the workload on these,” said Australia captain Tim Paine in his press conference.
“It was a tough call on Travis, who has made a good start to his Test career, however we just need a bit more bowling depth on what seems like a excellent wicket and to have the ability to look following big fast bowlers.
“Mitchell also includes two Test hundreds so we’ve got complete faith in him with the bat”
Paine’s side will now be looking to win the Ashes series outright as 2001, when Steve Waugh captained the Baggy Greens into a 4-1 victory and lead the series 2-1.
Watch day one of the fifth Evaluation reside on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports The Ashes in 10am on Thursday.
You could even follow over-by-over comment and in-play clips on our rolling site on skysports.com and the Sky Sports app.
Read more here: http://www.huntinglegends.com//?p=5071
