England drop Roy as final Test begins today: Australia hungry to seal Ashes win

England drop Roy as final Test begins today: Australia hungry to seal Ashes win

LONDON: Tim Paine described the fifth Ashes Test as Australia’s “grand final” as they target their first series win in England since 2001.

The tourists have already retained the urn after winning the fourth Test at Old Trafford to take a 2-1 lead but captain Paine said they were “very hungry” to complete the job the Oval in final Test beginning on Thursday.

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been recalled to the 12-man squad in place of Travis Head to ease the workload on Australia’s impressive pace attack.“We’ve already spoken a lot about it (the final Test),” Paine said Wednesday on the eve of the match. “We came here to win the Ashes, not just to retain them.

“Last week’s result was brilliant and we played very well but all the guys are fully aware that this Test match is bigger than that one. “This is our grand final. We want this Test just as much as any other Test that we’ve played in this series.” Australia bounced back to win the fourth match of the series at Old Trafford after Ben Stokes inspired England to a dramatic one-wicket win in the third Test at Headingley.

Root’s captaincy has come under scrutiny after England’s failure to regain the Ashes but Paine said Australia would not underestimate him.Paine said Marsh’s inclusion was aimed at easing the workload on his impressive pace attack and that he had “full faith” in his batting.

“We just wanted a bit more bowling depth in the squad to cover what looks like a really good wicket and be able to look after our big fast bowlers,” said Paine.Meanwhile England have dropped Jason Roy for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia that starts on Thursday, as they look to level the series at 2-2.

One-day specialist Roy was handed his Test debut against Ireland in July after making a devastating impact at the top of the order during England’s victorious World Cup campaign.But the Surrey batsman failed to impress in the first four matches of the Ashes, either as an opener or when he dropped down the order in the fourth Test, where he made a top score of 31.

Paceman Craig Overton has also been left out for the clash at the Oval, with all-rounders Sam Curran and Chris Woakes, who made way for Overton at Old Trafford last week, coming into the side.

The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed that Ben Stokes would play as a specialist batsman due to a shoulder injury.

England need a victory at the Oval to draw the series, although Australia have already retained the Ashes.

Captain Joe Root said Roy had missed out because the side needed re-balancing due to Stokes’s injury.

Stokes as a frontline bowler due to the all-rounder’s fitness issues but he fully justified his place as a specialist batsman.

The 28-year-old is England’s top-scorer in the series with 354 runs and two centuries, including his match-winning ton in the third Test at Headingley.

Australia squad for fifth Ashes Test:

David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine (capt, wkt), Pat Cummins, Peter Siddle, Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

England team for the fifth Ashes Test at the Oval:Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow (wkt), Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes.

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/525217-england-drop-roy-as-final-test-begins-today-australia-hungry-to-seal-ashes-win