James Anderson Ruled Out Of Oval Test

“Of course, there’ll be celebrations after the game, but we have to prepare like we have for every other game and make sure we are raring to go – 4-1 would make it just that bit more sweet”.

For Alastair Cook, an Ashes victory must have felt like more than just another achievement in the career ledger, it must have come as a blessed relief.

Cook this week said he considered quitting as skipper during the first Test against the West Indies in April, shortly after being replaced as captain of the one-day side.

I’m going for England to win by an innings and 40 runs with another emphatic display to keep them magic word “transition” heading in the right direction.

We have three matches left in this series and we are still in with a chance of turning things around, so come along and support us at Chelmsford, Hove or Cardiff.

England are planning to select an unchanged team for the match.

The fifth and final Test between England and Australia begins on Thursday.

“Jimmy has 400 Test wickets – he’s England’s leading bowler – so if he’s fit and ready to go… then it’s out of my hands”.

Clarke’s popularity was boosted by Australia’s 5-0 Ashes thrashing of England in 2013/14, while his magnificent 161 at Cape Town in a series-clinching win away to South Africa in March last year, after suffering a broken arm, was a superb example of making “tough runs”. However, Collingwood suggests Cook has done well to take his team forward and beat a very good Australian side.

“Long-term I think the ankle problem that I’ve got may need some work done to it”, Wood said.

That was a phlegmatic attitude. The same goes for 37-year-old opener Chris Rogers, who announced Tuesday that he would be quitting the worldwide game – and perhaps cricket for good – at the end of this series.

Hazlewood was, like the majority of Australia’s Ashes squad, not selected for the looming limited-overs series against Ireland and England and was already due to fly home after this Test.

England’s usual pre-nets jolly kickabout with a football took on a rather more earnest air yesterday.

Hodgson had been invited to The Oval by Australia doctor Peter Brukner, who worked with the England boss, when they were both at Premier League giants Liverpool.

“It’s been a good week to be an English cricketer – lots of people saying “well done”, but…”

‘He hasn’t scored the runs he’d have liked, ‘ said Cook, his opening partner.

“Josh has played six tests since the West Indies tour and the last nine tests for Australia as well as playing an important part in the World Cup”, coach Darren Lehmann told reporters.

I’m pretty pleased with how my drawing of the 2005 Ashes-winning team turned out, I’ve always been reasonably handy with a pencil and art was probably my second best subject at school behind PE.