Daily Times

ADELAIDE: Bowling great Jimmy Anderson said Wednesday he wants to play all four remaining Ashes Tests after he and Stuart Broad were included in England’s 12-man squad for the second Test against Australia this week. The two greatest wicket-takers in England Test history, with 1,156 scalps between them, were controversially left out for the series opener at Brisbane, where they crashed by nine wickets inside four days. But both are back in the frame for the clash under lights at Adelaide starting Thursday, where the pink ball’s extra movement should suit their game. Their return means speedster Mark Wood, who impressed in Brisbane, has been rested with selectors opting instead for fellow pacemen Ollie Robinson and Chris Woakes. They also kept faith with spinner Jack Leach, who was punished in Brisbane but could come into his own on Adelaide’s traditionally spin-friendly wicket. A final decision on who to omit will be made at the toss after a last look at the wicket on what is forecast to be a fine, dry day. The non-selection in Brisbane of Anderson and Broad, who has 524 Test wickets, sparked disbelief among pundits and cricket fans, with former Australian captain Ricky Ponting among them, saying he was “staggered”.

England’s 12-man squad:

Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Haseeb Hameed, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root (capt) Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes.