MANCHESTER, England: Durham pace bowler Graham Onions has been added to England’s squad as they bid to win the Ashes series outright in the fourth Test at his Chester-le-Street home ground from Friday.
England, who are 2-0 up in the five-match series and retained the Ashes after a rain-hit draw with Australia at Old Trafford yesterday, will also take tall paceman Chris Tremlett to the north-east as they mull rotating their overworked quicks.
England team director Andy Flower will see how James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan recover following the drawn third Test before finalising the XI for the Riverside match on Friday.
He told Sky Sports: “We will assess the guys over the next couple of days and make the decision on what gives us the best chance to win.”
National selector Geoff Miller added: “While the players should be congratulated on retaining the Ashes, there is still a lot of cricket left in this series and it is important that the players recover and refocus ahead of another crucial week of Test cricket.”
Tremlett was in the Old Trafford squad but did not play, while Onions was a non-playing member of the squad in the first two Tests.
Batsman James Taylor, brought in as cover for Kevin Pietersen in Manchester, misses out on the fourth Test despite Jonny Bairstow’s patchy form, as does reserve spinner Monty Panesar.
Squad: Alastair Cook, Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonny Bairstow, Matt Prior, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Chris Tremlett, Graham Onions.
AGENCIES
