England has revealed an unchanged team on Wednesday for the highly-anticipated fifth and final Ashes test against Australia at the Oval. The 41-year-old veteran and England's record wicket-taker, James Anderson, retains his spot in the side, despite a somewhat underwhelming performance in the series so far. Meanwhile, pacer Mark Wood and all-rounder Chris Woakes have been declared fit and included in the squad.
The fifth test is set to kick off on Thursday, with Australia holding a 2-1 lead in the series and already securing the urn. Nevertheless, England is determined to level the series after the disappointment of a final-day washout at Old Trafford in the drawn fourth test.
England captain Ben Stokes praised James Anderson, hailing him as the greatest fast bowler to ever play the game. Despite not achieving the desired impact and wickets in this series, Anderson remains a quality performer and has faced some criticism.
As Australia arrived in south London, they hold an insurmountable lead as the Ashes holder. However, a similar scenario in 2019 saw them stumble in the final test, resulting in a drawn series. Captain Pat Cummins and his team are determined to avoid a similar outcome this time and aim to clinch a series victory outright.
The stakes are high for Australia, as they have not won an Ashes series in England since 2001. Despite the disappointment of last weekend's wet weather, the team is eager to secure a historic victory in the final test.