England name pace-heavy 12 for Ashes opener; Wood cleared to play
The final call is likely to be between off-spinner Bashir and seamer Brydon Carse.
The final call is likely to be between off-spinner Bashir and seamer Brydon Carse.
England have not won an Ashes series in Australia since 2015 and suffered heavy defeats on their last three tours Down Under. Despite criticism for scheduling only a single warm-up match against the England Lions at Lilac Hill, the visitors insisted that their build-up had been solid.
“It's great to have the X-factor that Joff and Woody possess in terms of pace,” Stokes said in Perth on Wednesday.
Root heads into the series holding a firm lead at the top of the ICC Test batting rankings, but the seasoned campaigner has yet to conquer one of his biggest hurdles, performing consistently against Australia away from home.
Talismanic batsman Steve Smith remains unavailable for the match despite Cricket Australia saying earlier that he had been cleared to take part.
The Australia squad will arrive into the UK on August 24, travelling to Derbyshire’s The Incora County Ground before transferring to The Ageas Bowl.
Ben Stokes took more than 150 balls to score his first 50 runs in England's chase of 359 before shifting gears during the last-wicket partnership with Leach.
Ben Stokes helped England snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with that epic knock as England squared the Ashes at 1-1.
Australia will aim to extend their supremacy over a hapless England side when they face off in the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground here from Thursday.
