England drop Anderson, Tongue for third Ashes Test

Trailing 0-2 in the ongoing Ashes series, England have made notable changes heading into the third Test at Headingley. Veteran pacer James Anderson has been left out, as has Josh Tongue. The duo are replaced by Chris Woakes and speedster Mark Wood in the playing eleven announced on the eve of the Test.

England have also named Moeen Ali in the eleven, in the absence of the injured Ollie Pope. Ali pips Dan Lawrence for the spot with Harry Brook slotted in to bat at No. 3.

England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes (c), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood

Speaking on the eve of the third Test, England captain Ben Stokes admitted that his bowling fitness had a lot of say in the team that was picked. "I'm not gonna lie that last week, sort of, took it out of me a little bit. 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. Doesn't mean I'm not going to bowl but that was a that was a huge part of the thinking about the team that we picked.

"We were very sort of open and honest and clear with each other before the series started that it's going to be a very tough, for us fast bowlers to play every game this summer. And look, 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. Look, it's great to have Woody fit, he's firing and ready to go this week, looking forward to seeing him get going here."

Anderson's lacklustre performances in the two Tests had forced him to write an honest appraisal in his column in The Telegraph."You want to contribute in the big series and I cannot remember having two such quiet games in a row for at least the past 10 years.

"I feel like I have always contributed at some stage. But I do not think I am bowling particularly badly; I am just going through a lean patch, which you do not want to happen in an Ashes ... I am saying lean patch but it is only two games out of 181.

"I am not going to criticise the pitch again. They have not suited me so far but I have found ways of getting wickets in the past on flat pitches. At the moment I am just not finding that knack.

"However, when you see the best bowlers in the world slamming it into the middle of the pitch, it is not great viewing. If you asked all the bowlers on show at Lord's, they will say they want to try other skills as well," he had writren.

The 41-year old pacer also felt that his age was not a factor influencing his performances.

"It comes with the territory at my age for people to speculate about my future. But I understand. It is a high-profile series and you get put under the spotlight a bit more and the easy target is to say he is getting on a bit. But the reason I have not taken wickets is not because of my age.

"I am not thinking about the future. The future for me is just thinking about Thursday and the start of the next Test. That is as far ahead as I will look. If I get the nod, I will put in a performance the team need. If not, I will keep working hard and play a role at some stage across the series," he wrote.