England resist changes for final test

England have named an unchanged squad for the final Ashes test, resisting the temptation to draft in new blood with the chance to square the series.

Australia retain the urn after their win at Old Trafford but Joe Root’s side can still stop the tourists recording a first series win in England since 2001.

The three-day turnaround before the fifth test at The Oval always meant it would be hard for England to do anything dramatic to the make-up of their squad, but they retained the same XI plus Sam Curran and Chris Woakes, who missed out on selection in Manchester.

While further changes to an already depleted bowling lineup were always unlikely, alterations to the struggling batting lineup were expected.

Dominic Sibley of Warwickshire and Kent’s Zak Crawley have impressed the selectors but, like Surrey’s Ollie Pope, have been kept waiting for a recall.

Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes, whose name has returned to the fore given Jonny Bairstow’s modest series with the bat, is another who might have been discussed. Any combination of those four players might yet be seen on the winter tour to New Zealand.

Question marks remain over the fitness of Ben Stokes. He injured his right shoulder over the weekend and did not bowl in Australia’s second innings.

England are due to assess him over the next 24 hours but his batting, which brought a century at Lord’s and a memorable matchwinning innings at Headingley, will guarantee his role as a specialist in the top five.