England has dropped jason Roy and Ben Stokes May play a specialist batsman at the final Ashes Test against Australia.
Stokes was confined to 10.5 overs in Old Trafford a week after injuring his right shoulder in Australia’s first innings and will not bowl south London from Thursday because England look to make a 2-2 series draw.
Sam Curran has been drafted in as a fourth seam-bowling choice to cover, meaning batsman Roy – who has scored only 110 runs from the series at an average of 13.75 – creates manner, although Chris Woakes has also been remembered in place of fellow paceman Craig Overton.
England captain Joe Root said:”It’s always difficult to leave men out but Stokesy picked up a shoulder injury in the last game.
“He won’t have the ability to bowl the overs you would generally expect him to and I believe it could be a risk to take him into the game as a fourth seamer.
“He might have the ability to bowl a couple of overs here and there but his batting isalso, since this series has shown, a large portion of the facet and he deserves to be in the group because a top-four batter.
“That we have needed to alter the balance of both sides along with Jason is the unfortunate one to miss out.
“Jason has had an opportunity to enter and play Test cricket and get a feel for this and it’s not gone as he would have enjoyed, but I am sure he’ll go away and work extremely hard and return again.
“That’s what you expect of men when they get left out. I’m sure he will have that attitude. Get himself back into the side and he’ll want to establish a point.
“He is very conscious of where he is in and what he needs to do to get himself in the ideal spot to do in Test cricket”
Australia – who retained the Ashes using a 185-run victory in Manchester – can make at least one alteration with all-rounder Mitchell Marsh coming for part time spinner Travis Head and batsman, in The Oval.
Peter Siddle will hope to break up the pace attack of Mitchell Starc Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, and has been named in a 12-man group.
“The bowlers bowled a great deal of overs [in Old Trafford] thus earning Mitchell will relieve a whole lot of the workload onto these,” said Australia captain Tim Paine at his press conference.
“It was a tough call on Travis, who’s made a fantastic start to his Test career, however we just need a bit more bowling thickness on what looks like a really good wicket and to be able to look following big fast bowlers.
“Mitchell also has two Test hundreds so we’ve got complete faith in him with the violin ”
Paine’s side will be looking to win the Ashes series outright as 2001, when Steve Waugh captained the Baggy Greens and lead the series 2-1.
See day one of the fifth Evaluation reside on Sky Sports The Ashes and Sky Sports Main Event.
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