From Left - Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Joe Root and James Anderson
James Anderson returns to action as England announce their playing XI for the first Ashes Test against Australia in Birmingham. Jofra Archer, Sam Curran and Olly Stone miss out from the XI while opener Jason Roy starts for the Three Lions in the opening clash which begins August 1.
Star players Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, who were rested from the one-off Test against Ireland, make their return as well. All-rounder Moeen Ali comes in as the lone spinner while Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad retain their place after a stellar show against the Irish.
Australia hold the famous urn after a 4-0 series win Down Under in 2017-18, but England are still on a high just a couple of weeks after winning their first-ever World Cup title in the one-day format and have not yet lost an Ashes series on home soil since 2001.
The 37-year-old Anderson, part of three winning Ashes campaigns, is readying to rejoin an England team coming off a stuttering win over Ireland at Lord's last week. Broad took seven wickets in that match as the English bowlers rallied to avoid a major post-World Cup letdown.
England Playing XI: Rory Burns, Jason Roy, Joe Root (c), Joe Denly, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
More to follow..
