The Ashes: England unchanged for final Test as James Anderson retains place

James Anderson retains place in England side for final Ashes Test; seamer preferred to Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue as hosts looks to claim 2-2 draw; Australia targeting first series win in England since 2001; watch on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am on Thursday

Image: James Anderson has kept his place in the England side for the final Ashes Test against Australia at The Kia Oval from Thursday

James Anderson has retained his place for the final Ashes Test with England naming an unchanged XI for the game at The Kia Oval.

England need victory in south London - live on Sky Sports Cricket from Thursday - to claim a 2-2 draw with Australia looking to secure a first Test series win in the United Kingdom since 2001.

The hosts have gone in with the same side that saw their hopes of regaining the Ashes wrecked by the rain in the drawn fourth Test in Manchester, with Anderson preferred to fellow seamers Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue.

Stuart Broad will be the only England bowler to play in all five Ashes Tests, joining Anderson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood and off-spinner Moeen Ali in the attack.

England XI for fifth Ashes Test

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson

'Anderson still looking as good as he was two years ago'

Anderson, who turns 41 on Sunday, has taken four wickets in three Tests this summer at an average 76.75.

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The paceman recorded match figures of 1-81 from 37 overs at Emirates Old Trafford last week.

England captain Ben Stokes said: "Everyone has pulled up well, everyone is fit. It has been a tough four games [but] one tiny positive we could take out of the rain [at Emirates Old Trafford] was that the bowlers got a lot more rest.

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Stokes has backed Anderson to extend his playing career beyond the end of the Ashes series

"[Anderson] is quality. He has probably not had the impact and the wickets he would like in this series but he is a quality bowler, a quality performer.

"Jimmy has come under a bit of flak but if Joe [Root] hadn't scored the runs he would like to you wouldn't be questioning him about staying in the team.

"James Anderson is the greatest fast bowler to play the game and he is still looking as good as he was two years ago."

It was always going to be hard for one bowler to play every game of this series but he has been incredible for us. At 37 years old, that is testament to how much work he puts in off the field. He has put in some incredible performances. The leading wicket-taker in the series was hard to look past.
Ben Stokes on Stuart Broad playing all five Ashes Tests

Anderson: I am still hungry to play Test cricket

Writing in his Telegraph column, Anderson said retirement was not on his mind.

He said: "There are no thoughts about retirement. Ten or 15 years ago the debate would be about whether I should be dropped. Now it is about my future. I understand that.

Image: Anderson has taken four wickets in three Ashes Tests this summer at an average of 76.75

"I keep talking to the coach and captain. They want me around, so as long as I am still hungry, want to put in the work then I will keep trying to give my best for the team.

"That is exactly where I am at the minute. I still feel like I'm bowling well.

"I have certainly not had the returns I would have liked in this series. Everyone goes through a lean patch, you just don't want it to be in the most high-profile series we play."

England batter Harry Brook says a win in the fifth Ashes Test would give his side a 'moral victory' in the series

Anderson is likely to be playing his final Ashes Test match, considering the seamer will be 43 by the time of the next away series in Australia in 2025-26.

England's next Test series after this summer's Ashes is in India in in early 2023, with five games to be held between January 25 and March 11.

Stokes: I was 'flat' and 'emotionless' after Old Trafford draw

Reflecting on rain scuppering his team's hopes of a series-levelling victory at Emirates Old Trafford after they were in a dominant position, Stokes said: "I left Manchester emotionless. It was a very bizarre feeling.

"The game petered out the way it did because of the weather and you look back and think 'do you wish we had either got beat or we had played and Australia had managed to pull off a draw?'

Image: Stokes could only watch on as rain ruined the fourth Ashes Test at Emirates Old Trafford

"[Not being able to do anything] is a very strange place to be in. You could see that from both sides shaking the umpires' hands at the end. It was emotionless, very bizarre.

"Both teams are professional athletes and want to be out there doing what we do. It was a pretty flat feeling but we have got rid of those emotions and are ready to go this week.

"Putting the shirt on, representing the country and leading this team out was all the emotion I needed."

Watch the fifth and final Ashes Test, from The Kia Oval, live on Sky Sports Cricket from Thursday. Coverage starts at 10am ahead of the first ball at 11am.

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