The Ashes 2015: England’s James Anderson ruled out of fourth test

Steven Finn ripped through hapless Australia to claim 5-45 and put England on the brink of an astonishing victory on day two of the third Ashes Test, at Edgbaston.

Joe Root then handed his wicket away, edging a wide ball from Mitchell Starc to the slips ending his innings of 63, with Jos Buttler soon following for 9 when he was adjudged lbw to Nathan Lyon, despite replays showing a referral would have been successful.

“It feels fantastic. It has been a while since I have played Test match cricket so to come here and get a five-fer in my first game back is a really nice feeling”, added Finn.

Playing in typically aggressive fashion, he took the attack to Englands bowlers with a 35-ball fifty including eight fours. The European Central Bank had called the injury a “tight side” which was to be “assessed overnight”. “We need to do a professional job tomorrow”.

Peter Nevill (37) and Mitchell Starc (7) were in the middle. England might be one bowler down as well.

“We thought it looked a good pitch, we were not expecting anywhere near the amount of seam movement early on”.

“If it’s an intercostal, we won’t see him again in this series“. He reached 2,000 Test runs and became the fifth Australia to go past the 300-wicket mark.

He said: “You always want to win the Test but when you get these kind of accolades it’s always enjoyable”.

In Anderson’s absence England will either turn to Mark Wood or possibly recall Chris Woakes.

England paceman James Anderson has been ruled out of the remainder of the third Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston and next week s fourth Test at Trent Bridge, it was announced Friday.

At tea on the second day, Australia – already in their second innings – were 73 for two, a deficit of 72 runs, with opener Warner 56 not out.

But after two years in the Test wilderness where he has remodelled his run-up and action, ended with a surprise call-up for Edgbaston.

The end of an eighth-wicket stand of 64 was a relief for England, but Starc (58) was intent on making them sweat a little more and completed his 50 too with a swat over long-on for six off Moeen Ali.

Johnson steamed in and directed a bouncer that was homing in on Bairstow’s throat, the startled batsman fending it off with glove to be caught behind. The left-arm pacer took two wickets in three balls as Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes gloved sharp bouncers through to Nevill.

Finn’s heroics marked a drastic transformation from his plight the last time England played Australia during the 2013-14 Ashes, when he was sent home early from the tour having been deemed “not selectable”.