Expect nothing less than hostility, fire and close contests as Ben Stokes' England come armed with their Bazball philosophy to try and get the better of a depleted Australia.
England captain Andrew Strauss on Thursday blasted Middlesex batter Owais Shah after he injured Kent batsman Joe Denly in a tackle during a warm-up football match.
England called up uncapped Kent opening batsman Joe Denly in their one-day squad for the seven-match 50 overs series against Australia and the Champions Trophy in South Africa. Denly has also been included in the squad for two Twenty20 internationals against Australia following the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Oval starting on Thursday.
Denly fell six runs short of his maiden Test century and Ben Stokes made a sparkling 67 in bright sunshine at The Oval to put England in a strong position to level the series at 2-2.
England's latest batting prospect Joe Denly is set to renew an old rivalry on Sunday against Australia fast bowler Brett Lee who gave him an early insight into batting in international cricket.
Roy, who was handed his Test debut after an impressive World Cup-winning campaign, has failed to deliver at the top of the order in the first three Tests of the series, scoring 57 runs in six innings with a highest score of 28.
Denly, who made his Test debut against West Indies last year, has reached double figures 24 times in 28 innings but has managed just six half-centuries.
India are yet to win a Test in Birmingham in nearly six decades -- boasting of a dismal record of seven losses and one draw in eight attempts.
England Test captain Joe Root has been left out of the Twenty20 squad for the three-match series against Australia but will return for the three one-day internationals.
England also named their final one-day squad before the World Cup, with fast bowlers Tom Curran and David Willey returning to a unit who defeated Sri Lanka 3-1. Tom replaces brother Sam as Liam Dawson and Olly Stone also miss out.
Captain Joe Root's defiance gave England hope of saving the Ashes series as his unbeaten 75 helped the hosts to 156-3 in their second innings on day three of the third Test at Headingley.
Jofra Archer was England's leading wicket taker in their victorious World Cup campaign with 20 wickets and he made his Test debut against Australia, picking up 22 wickets in four Ashes Tests.
England will rest Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Mark Wood for the three-match one-day international series against South Africa starting in Cape Town on February 4. Worcestershire seamer Pat Brown, Somerset batsman Tom Banton and the Lancashire pair of Matthew Parkinson and Saqib Mahmood received their maiden call-ups.
England ended day four with a 170-run lead over West Indies as Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley notched up half-centuries in the second innings of the first Test at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Saturday. Images from Day 4 of the first Test between England and West Indies.
Images from Day 2 of the 2nd Ashes Test played at Lord's Cricket Ground, London, on Thursday.
England pace bowler Jofra Archer has been omitted from the side for the first Ashes Test against Australia starting at Edgbaston on Thursday
South Africa's Anrich Nortje took the vital wickets of captain Joe Root and talisman Ben Stokes as England struggled to 262 for nine at stumps on the first day of the second Test on Friday. Pace bowler Nortje, playing his fourth Test, finished with 2-54 off 17 overs as the home side restricted the tourists on a Newlands wicket that was expected to be full of runs. Images from the opening day of the second Test at Newlands on Friday.
South Africa bowled England out for 181 in their first innings and had built up a significant 175-run lead by the close of play on the second day of the first Test at Centurion Park on Friday. Images from Day 2 of the first Test between South Africa and England at Supersport Park in Centurion on Friday.
Virat Kohli scored a stroke-filled 78 as a scratchy the Indians registered a thrilling five-run victory over Kent in a rain-curtailed 20-overs-a-side practice match at the St Lawrence ground in Canterbury on Friday night.
Tim Southee and Matt Henry removed both England openers as New Zealand reduced the tourists to 39-2 and took control of the second Test by the close of play on the second day at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Saturday.
Ashes debutant Joe Denly confirmed that Joe Root had phoned him this week and said he wants to bat at three, dropping Denly to fourth man in.
Factbox on the five-Test Ashes series between England and Australia
Anderson, who is recuperating from a right calf injury, will feature against Leicestershire in a three-day friendly match starting on Tuesday.
Carlos Brathwaite's presence in the Kolkata Knight Riders line-up will boost the franchise's batting, which is the 'best' among the eight IPL teams, claimed assistant coach Simon Katich.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 1st Ashes Test at Edgbaston, Brmingham, on Friday
Ben Stokes will play as a batsman only after injuring his shoulder at Old Trafford.
Australia notched 145-4 from their 20 overs and had reduced the hosts to four for two before rain intervened in the first of two internationals.
Spinner Dom Bess was named in England's 13-man squad for the first Test against West Indies and there was no place for Moeen Ali among nine reserves, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Saturday.All-rounder Ben Stokes will lead England in the match, which will begin at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Wednesday in a bio-secure environment amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 2nd Test played at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Smith is currently the number one ranked batsman in the ICC Test batsmen rankings and he has a lead of 34 points over Indian skipper Virat Kohli.
IMAGES from the first Test between England and West Indies played at the Rose Bowl Cricket Stadium, Southampton on Thursday
'James Anderson was unavailable for selection in the Test squad as he continues his rehabilitation from a calf injury,' the ECB said in a statement.
England have not picked uncapped all-rounder Jofra Archer in a preliminary 15-man World Cup squad but have named him in squads for the warm-up games against Pakistan and Ireland.
Jos Buttler has not scored a fifty in his last 12 Test innings and also dropped Jermaine Blackwood, who ended up scoring match-winning 95 for West Indies in the first Test.
The 28-year-old is expected to open the batting with Surrey team mate Rory Burns for the one-off match against Ireland starting at Lord's next Wednesday.
'We want to give multi-format players some opportunity to rest and refresh, while still selecting strong squads for every series.'
Jonny Bairstow has been rested and injured pacer Jofra Archer was left out while spinner Moeen Ali was unavailable for Test selection.
Captain Joe Root said conditions at Old Trafford should suit the 6 foot five tall Craig Overton.
England have already announced their 11-man team for the match against Ireland. Pacer James Anderson has been ruled out of the match as he was unable to recover from his calf injury.
Images from Day 5 of the first Ashes Test between England and Australia, at Edgbaston, on Monday.
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