Ashes: Broad back for England, Boland in Australian team after MCG heroics

Batsman Usman Khawaja was confirmed in the Australian team as a replacement for Covid victim Travis Head

England on Tuesday recalled veteran bowler Stuart Broad to partner Jimmy Anderson in the fourth Ashes Test which begins in Sydney on Wednesday. It’s the only change to the side that meekly surrendered the Ashes last week.

The seamer comes in for Ollie Robinson, who has been rested for a clash in which the tourists are playing for pride after three heavy defeats in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne.

Robinson is the only England bowler to have played in all three previous Tests and pulled up with a shoulder niggle after their crushing innings-and-14-run defeat in the third Test in Melbourne.

Chris Woakes is also dealing with a shoulder problem, ruling him out of a potential return.

It opened the door for Broad, who will play alongside Anderson for only the second time this series after Adelaide, bolstering an attack also featuring Mark Wood and spinner Jack Leach.

"We felt like it was too much of a risk to go in with a couple of lads who are carrying niggles," said batting coach Graham Thorpe, who is acting coach for the fourth Test with Chris Silverwood isolating after a family member caught Covid.

"So therefore, it was right to bring Stuart back in."

Ben Stokes will add support to the attack and Thorpe said he hoped the star all-rounder would finally make his mark after a disappointing tour so far.

"I hope we've got a couple of caged tigers coming into this match, Ben being one of them and Stuart Broad another," he told reporters at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the eve of the match.

"Getting the players into the right frame of mind is important. I think they want put in a performance for themselves and collectively for the team."

There was no change to the batting line-up that was skittled for just 68 in their second innings last week, with openers Haseeb Hameed and Zak Crawley both surviving.

Meanwhile, Melbourne Test hero Scott Boland held his place as Australia made only one change to their winning side for the fourth Ashes Test.

Batsman Usman Khawaja was confirmed in the team announced Tuesday as a replacement for Covid victim Travis Head. Khawaja last played for Australia in the Headingley Test of the 2019 Ashes series.

Paceman Boland, who was man-of-the-match on Test debut with his 6-7 in Australia's crushing innings win to clinch the series in Melbourne, kept his place with Josh Hazlewood again unavailable with a side strain.

England: Haseeb Hameed, Zak Crawley, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Mark Wood, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

Australia: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.