England have announced their playing XI for the fourth and the penultimate Test of the ongoing Ashes series to be held at Old Trafford, two days in advance on Monday, July 17. England, who stayed alive in the series with a three-wicket win at Headingley, made one change from the third Test bringing in veteran James Anderson, who will be playing at his home ground in Manchester.
Anderson, who was rested in the third Test, has had two disappointing outings in the series so far returning with just two wickets, one each at Edgbaston and Lord's. While many expected this series to be Anderson's swansong, the veteran pacer hasn't indicated any of that, who stands at 688 wickets in the longest format.
Anderson has replaced fellow paceman, Ollie Robinson, who sustained a back spasm during the third Test and didn't bowl in the second innings in Leeds. Robinson missing out and Anderson coming in means Josh Tongue will remain on the sidelines after the duo of Chris Woakes and Mark Wood came in and provided a different dimension to the bowling attack altogether.
Wood and Woakes were the stars of the Test match at Headingley with both bat and ball and the former was adjudged player of the match for taking seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul and 40 runs with the bat off just 24 balls.
For England to stay alive in the series, they will have to win both the remaining games and get the urn back as even a draw would mean that Australia will retain the Ashes. England will hope that Jonny Bairstow, last year's star with the bat can come good as apart from one innings, he has largely remained disappointing.
England playing XI for 4th Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
