England name uncapped duo in squad for final Ashes test
Monday, 19 August 2013 00:00
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Reuters: Uncapped test duo Simon Kerrigan and Chris Woakes have been named in England’s 14-man squad for the fifth and final Ashes contest against Australia, starting at The Oval on Wednesday. Fast bowler Steven Finn was also recalled to the squad after England, who has retained the urn and lead the series 3-0, lost pacemen Tim Bresnan and Graham Onions to injuries.
Finn returns after playing in the first test of the series at Nottingham, where he took two wickets in England’s 14-run victory. He was a non-playing member of the second test squad before missing out on selection for the next two matches.
Yorkshire seamer Bresnan was ruled out for the remainder of the English season with a stress fracture in his lower back, while Onions misses out with a broken finger.
“Tim Bresnan has made valuable contributions with both bat and ball during the series and I would like to wish him all the very best in his recovery from his back injury,” England selector Geoff Miller said in a statement. “The focus for Bresnan now will be the tour of Australia later this year while this test will provide an opportunity for another member of this squad to make equally vital contributions.”
Lancashire left-arm spinner Kerrigan, 24, who is yet to play for England in any format, got the nod ahead of troubled tweaker Monty Panesar, who was recently fined for drunkenly urinating outside a Brighton nightclub. Warwickshire’s Woakes, who made his England debut in 2011 in limited overs internationals, is also a handy batsman lower down the order similar to Bresnan.
“The inclusion of five pace bowlers as well as an additional spinner in Simon Kerrigan, who has impressed with Lancashire and England Lions in recent years, gives (coach) Andy Flower and (captain) Alastair Cook plenty of options once they have assessed the conditions at the Kia Oval,” Miller added.
Squad: Alastair Cook (captain), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, Simon Kerrigan, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Joe Root, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes.
