England includes Mark Footitt and Liam Plunkett for 4th Ashes Test

England includes Mark Footitt and Liam Plunkett for 4th Ashes Test: On Saturday, the English selectors announced the 14-man squad for the 4^th Investec Ashes test match to be played at Trent Bridge from 6^th August. Liam Plunkett and Mark Footitt are the two new faces while out-of-form opener Adam Lyth has also been retained in the squad. Earlier, James Anderson injured with side strain was ruled out from the 4^th Test, though he remains hopeful of staging a comeback in the Fifth and final test match which will be played at the Kennington Oval from 20^th August.

The 29-year old Mark Footitt is a left-arm genuine quick pacer who had a breakthrough county season in 2014 where he took 84 first-class wickets at 19. In this county season, he has taken 50 Championship wickets at an average of 23. He knows the Trent Bridge pitch very well as he was on the staff at Nottinghamshire for several years.

Liam Plunkett who has not played a Test since July 2014 and has only played two Championship matches this season due to injuries has also been called back in the squad.

Although, there were calls that Lyth should be dropped for the 4^th test but England doesn’t seem keen to make any changes to the winning XI of Edgbaston test barring Anderson’s place in the side as he was forced out of contention due to injury. After his magnificent back-to-back half-centuries in the 3^rd Test, Ian Bell has safeguarded his place in the side.

In the Third Ashes test, England defeated the Australians comprehensively by 8 wickets that too inside 3 days. Now, the home side leads the series by 2-1. After England’s humongous defeat at Lord’s by 405 runs, the English side proved its grit when they ended the test at Edgbaston in sheer command of dominance.

England’s squad for 4th Ashes Test:

Cook (C), Lyth, Bell, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler, Ali, Broad, Finn, Footitt, Liam Plunkett, Rashid, Wood