Ben Foakes has not been included in the 14-player England squad for the fourth men's Ashes Test at Old Trafford; England kept the Ashes alive with a three-wicket win at Headingley; watch fourth Test from Old Trafford, live on Sky Sports Cricket from July 19
Tuesday 11 July 2023 21:58, UK
Ollie Robinson has been included in the 14-player England squad for the fourth men's Ashes test, while Ben Foakes misses out.
Robinson left the field with a back spasm on day one of the third Ashes Test at Headingley and missed the majority of the Test, which England won to cut the deficit on Australia to 2-1.
The seamer was two deliveries into his 12th over when he pulled up sore, retrieving his cap from the umpire and exiting the pitch with Stuart Broad finishing his over.
There has been talk about whether wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow should keep his place in the position, with Ben Foakes potentially coming in, but the latter has not been included in the squad.
England will decide whether James Anderson will return at his home ground after missing the third Test, while Josh Tongue could come in after his five wickets at Lord's.
Mark Wood is eager to hit Australia with more "thunderbolts" in Manchester next week and aims to prove "lightning strikes twice" after his Headingley heroics.
Wood marked his return to Ashes cricket with a stirring player-of-the-match showing in Leeds, taking match figures of 7-100 and hitting 40 vital runs from just 16 deliveries.
His efforts helped change the tone of the series, getting England on the board after back-to-back defeats and leaving the path open for the hosts to reclaim the urn against all odds.
Wood revealed his England captain and Durham team-mate Ben Stokes had given him one simple instruction when he let him loose.
"Ben just asked me, 'Are you ready? Are you ready to bowl some thunderbolts?' I said yes and that was it," he said.
"He was ready to unleash me. I know him well and he knows me well. Having that relationship with someone makes it easier."
Asked if he was ready to dish out more of the same at Emirates Old Trafford next Wednesday, Wood replied with a grin: "Absolutely. Lightning strikes twice, eh?"
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald admits Mitch Marsh has given him a selection headache ahead of next week's fourth Ashes Test.
Marsh replaced the injured Cameron Green at Headingley and marked his first game in four years with a brilliant century and two wickets.
With Green fit again and apparently enjoying enough credit with the selectors to come straight back in, there are two obvious ways to tweak the line-up to accommodate both all-rounders.
One would see opener David Warner drop out following his latest double failure against Stuart Broad, while the other involves dropping Scott Boland and asking the combination of Marsh and Green to share his overs.
"We've got a lot to consider and a lot to weigh up," said McDonald. "We've got everything to consider in terms of Mitch Marsh coming in, what the balance looks like, our all-rounders. We'll have to consider the options ahead.
"He's made a pretty good case. I thought he was outstanding this game. There's a lot to like with how he matches up against England. I thought he was impressive with the ball as well, and he's done that before in England with the ball, so that's nothing new."
Whether Marsh could transfer his ball-striking to the top of the order as a like-for-like stand-in for Warner is less clear.
"He did pretty well down the middle order. To put him up to open in England would probably be something we haven't discussed yet, but we do have some time between now and the next Test," said McDonald.
"You've also got to reflect on what the opening partnership has been able to do across the six innings (in the series) and there's been three 50-plus partnerships in there. Albeit it didn't function to its level here, in some ways it has done well so far in this series."
Watch day one of the fourth Ashes Test live on Sky Sports Cricket on Wednesday July 19. Build-up from 10am, first ball at 11am. You can stream the men's and women's Ashes series on NOW.
