England have made one change in their playing XI for the 4th Ashes Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, starting on Wednesday (July 19th). James Anderson has replaced Ollie Robinson as the latter will return to the fold in his home ground, hoping to make an impact.
Anderson played in the first two Ashes Tests, but took only three wickets, averaging a forgettable 75.33. The Lancashire seamer went on to blast the slow nature of the Edgbaston pitch as it offered zero assistance to the bowlers. However, he went on to blame himself after another underwhelming outing in the second match at Lord’s.
Robinson, whose back spasm resurfaced in the 3rd Test, could bowl only 11.2 overs in whole game. However, it didn’t impact England’s chances as they sealed a tense three-wicket win by gunning down a stiff 251.
Despite managing a single-figure score in the fourth innings at Headingley, Moeen is likely to get another opportunity at first drop. The spin-bowling all-rounder played an integral role in England’s win with the ball, picking wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to restrict Australia’s run-scoring.
Jonny Bairstow, whose performance behind the stumps has been under the scanner, has also retained his place. The hosts still face two must-win games to regain the Ashes for the first time since 2015.
