Watch day one of the fifth and final Ashes Test, at The Oval, live on Sky Sports The Ashes from 10am on Thursday, September 12
Tuesday 10 September 2019 00:04, UK
Ben Stokes faces a bowling fitness test as England named an unchanged 13-man squad for the final Ashes match at The Oval.
The all-rounder bowled just 10.5 overs in Australia's first innings at Old Trafford before being forced off the field with right shoulder soreness and did not bowl for the remainder of the Test.
If Stokes is unable to bowl, he is expected to play in the fifth Test as a specialist batsman and England will turn to one of the two bowling all-rounders in the squad that missed out at Manchester, with either Sam Curran or Chris Woakes coming in.
One of the top-order batsmen would likely miss out in that case with captain Joe Root and head coach Trevor Bayliss deciding on the make-up of the side following any decision made on Stokes.
England fell to a 185-run defeat at Old Trafford as Australia retained the urn and head to their last international red-ball match trailing the five-match series 2-1.
The hosts can still draw the series and with Test Championship points still available, Root called on his side to turn up for the final Test of the series in London.
Despite England's batsmen having struggled throughout the series, the top-order looks set to remain in place, with Joe Denly having impressed following his promotion to the top of the order in Manchester.
The 33-year-old made a battling 53 off 123 balls in the second innings as the hosts fought to save the Test and is one of three batsmen to make more than one half-century in the series.
Meanwhile, Jason Roy's move down to No 4 brought him his highest score in Test cricket as he fought to 31 off 67 balls in the second innings at Old Trafford.
Watch day one of the fifth and final Ashes Test, at The Oval, live on Sky Sports The Ashes from 10am on Thursday, September 12.
