• Source:JND

Australia have retained the ongoing Ashes series (2-1)after the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester ended as a draw following a washed-out final day. Former England skipper Michael Vaughan opined that veteran pacer James Anderson's selection has cost the side in a fighting match.

The 40-year-old pacer returned to England playing 11 after missing the third Test at Headingley. He replaced Ollie Robinson and had a below-par performance in the game. He only picked one wicket in his 87 overs in the match. In three Tests so far, he has only four wickets to his name.

Vaughan said Anderson had no impact at all in the series so far and he might lose his place for the final and fifth Test at The Oval. The veteran batter feels youngster Josh Tongue is a better option than Anderson.

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"We all agreed that James Anderson deserved to have that sentimental pick because he's a legend of the game, but it may have cost England," Vaughan told the BBC's Ashes Daily podcast.

"Josh Tongue is a young quick who has created impact in that one game that he has played, and I know the Australians don't like facing him. Jimmy, in the three Test matches that he's played in this series, has just had no impact at all. I don't remember him getting a key wicket at any stage and that's very unlike Jimmy Anderson.

"We pick on Jonny [Bairstow] because he's dropped a few chances but we've got to be honest: Jimmy Anderson has played three games and has had no impact at all in this series, and it might just be that for The Oval, he might not be in England's best XI," he added.

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Vaughan further said that Anderson is not getting any help from the surface which he used to get and he is a bit slower than his teammates.

"Chris Woakes has almost showed us what can be done with the Dukes ball when you've got that zip because he's been going over the top with the seam and it's just been doing enough," Vaughan said.

"It's been wobble seam and a bit more action off the surface at a similar pace. It's not like Chris has been bowling three or four mph quicker than Jimmy. For whatever reason, Jimmy's not been getting that kiss off the surface that we've seen for many, many years," he added.

Anderson will face a tough fight for a spot in England's playing 11 from Robinson and Tongue. The fifth Test between England and Australia will kick off on July 27.