Ashes 2023: England leave out veteran James Anderson for must-win third Test

James Anderson

England have left out all-time leading wicket-taker James Anderson in one of three changes to their side for a must-win third Ashes Test against Australia at Headingley starting Thursday, with express quick Mark Wood, seam-bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes and spinner Moeen Ali recalled.

Both Anderson and fellow paceman Josh Tongue have been rested as England bid to keep the Ashes alive at 2-0 down in the five-Test series following a 43-run defeat at Lord's last week. But all-rounder Stokes, who has been struggling with a longstanding knee problem, bowled just 15 overs across two innings at Lord's and he said his fitness had been a factor in England's team selection for Headingley.

"I'm not going to lie, last week sort of took it out of me a little bit," Stokes told reporters on Wednesday. "So a big part of something that I had to think of was what would be the best team if I wasn't to bowl a ball this game, in the worst-case scenario. "It doesn't mean I'm not going to bowl but that was a huge part of the thinking about the team that we picked."

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Anderson's 688 wickets are the most by any fast bowler in Test history, but the 40-year-old swing specialist has struggled in this series, with just three wickets at more than 75 apiece.

Given a congested schedule - there is just a three-day turnaround between the second and third Tests - rotating England's pace attack was always a possibility.

"It's a good chance for Jimmy to have a rest up and then get ready to charge in from the Jimmy Anderson end at Old Trafford next week," said Stokes. "It's great to have Woody fit, he's firing and ready to go this week." Moeen replaces Ollie Pope after the vice-captain was ruled out of the rest of the season due to dislocating his shoulder at Lord's.

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