- By Ankit Bisht
- Wed, 26 Jul 2023 05:04 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
England have named an unchanged playing 11 for the final Ashes Test at The Oval in London, commencing on Thursday, July 27. Veteran pacer James has retained his spot in the side for the deciding game along with his fellow teammate Stuart Broad.
Chris Woakes and Mark Wood are also fit for the final match of the series and will play their third consecutive Test.
England are 2-1 down in the series after rain on the final day drew the Manchester Test as Australia retain the urn being the defending winners of the series. The Oval Test will be highly contested as England eye a series draw while the visitors will look for the 3-1 scoreline.
"Everyone's pulled up well. Everyone is fit from the last game. It's been a tough four games, to be honest. One little tiny positive we could take out of the rain was that the bowlers got a bit more rest. With a quick turnaround, you could see that as a tiny, tiny, little positive," ESPNcricinfo quoted England captain Ben Stokes as saying.
The all-rounder heaped praise on Anderson despite picking just four wickets in three games in the seiers. The pacer will turn 42 during the fifth Test but still wants to continue playing for the country.
"He's quality. It's very hard for you guys to sit here and say he's not. Although he's not had the impact and the wickets he would have liked to, he's a quality performer. James Anderson is the greatest fast bowler to play the game and he's still looking as good as he was two years ago," Stokes said.
The 37-year-old Broad is the only English pacer in the series to play all five Ashes Tests.
"It was always going to be hard for one bowler to play every game this series but he's been incredible for us. He's put some incredible performances in, and he's also been very good at coming on and changing the game with the ball. Being leading wicket-taker, it's very hard to look past someone like that," Stokes said.
England's playing 11 for fifth Ashes Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson.