Jimmy’s Ashes ended by injury

JIMMY Anderson’s hopes of playing in one final Ashes Test at Emirates Old Trafford were dashed after he was ruled out for the rest of the series.

The Lancashire star’s persistent calf injury has returned while trying to prove his fitness playing in a second XI game at Chester Broughton Hall.

Anderson bowled 20 overs on Tuesday, and nine more on Thursday. However, he felt some pain in the same calf that forced him out of the first Test after just four overs, and saw him miss England’s defeat to Australia at Lord’s and dramatic victory at Headingley.

It is a major blow for the country’s leading Test wickettaker, and at the age of 37 it is highly unlikely he will play another Ashes Test at his home ground.

Instead, Somerset’s Craig Overton has been called into the 13-man squad for the fourth Test, which starts at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday.

The injury has plagued Anderson for a number of weeks after he initially felt pain there playing for Lancashire in their Specsavers County Championship Division Two game with Durham at Sedbergh School in June.

All seemed well for a return to the England side after his 20 overs on Tuesday in a game which was put on especially for Anderson to test out the injury, but it was at the conclusion of his nine-over spell on Thursday that he became aware of more pain to his calf.

And after consultation with the England medical team, he was made unavailable for the rest of the Ashes.