England have announced an unchanged 14-member squad for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia, starting July 27 at The Oval, London. The hosts will look to bounce back and level the series 2-2 whereas the visitors will be seeking their first outright series win in England since 2001.
The Ben Stokes-led England suffered a massive heartbreak in Manchester as the rain washed out the final day of the fourth Test, letting the Aussies retain the Ashes with an unassailable 2-1 lead. However, the hosts still have a chance to end the series with the scoreline reading 2-2.
“It’s a tough one to take, a tough pill to swallow. We were completely and utterly dominant throughout the hours of play we had, but the weather didn’t help us and we can’t change that,” Stokes said after the game at Old Trafford yielded no result.
“If this game went without rain we probably would have been favourites to be sat here at 2-2 and I think that would have elevated everything that this series has already done for test cricket,” Stokes said after the game.
“But I think what we’ve managed to do has already done wonders for cricket in England. I said in the dressing room that the reward for your work isn’t what you get, it’s what you become. And I think what we’ve managed to become is a team that people will remember,” he added.
Meanwhile, England will be assessing the fitness of Chris Woakes who reportedly felt a quad stiffness. The all-rounder, who made a comeback in the Headingley Test, is the side’s second-leading wicket-taker with 12 scalps to his credit.
On the other hand, the workload of Mark Wood is also likely to be monitored. If that’s the case, England would face a decision over the inclusion of James Anderson, given that the likes of Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue are also in the 14-man side.
England squad for the fifth Test: Ben Stokes (capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
