LONDON: Australia captain Pat Cummins won his first toss of the series and decided to bowl first in the fifth and final Ashes Test against England at The Oval on Thursday.
The overcast conditions promised to assist fast bowler Cummins and his fellow quicks as Australia looked to secure their first Ashes series win in England in 22 years.
Australia off-spinner Todd Murphy replaced all-rounder Cameron Green in the only change to either side after England had the better of a rain-affected draw in last week’s fourth Test at Old Trafford.
That result meant Australia, as the holders, retained the Ashes at 2-1 up with one to play regardless of the outcome of this week’s finale in London.
But if they avoid defeat at The Oval, Cummins’s men will become the first Australia side since Steve Waugh’s celebrated 2001 team to have won an Ashes series in England.
A series success would also set the seal on a tour that started with Cummins leading Australia to victory over India in the World Test Championship final at The Oval.
England had already announced an unchanged team on Wednesday, with veteran seamer James Anderson, who will turn 41 on Sunday, keeping his place despite a disappointing series.
Anderson’s 689 Test wickets are the most taken by any fast bowler, with only spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708) ahead of him in the all-time list.
Australia retain Ashes after fourth Test washout
But so far in this Ashes, Anderson has taken just four wickets in three Tests at a costly average of 76.75 apiece.
Teams
England: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jonny Bairstow (wkt), Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wkt), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (capt), Todd Murphy, Josh Hazlewood
Umpires: Joel Wilson (WIS), Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)
TV umpire: Nitin Menon (IND)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)
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