Sydney: England have named their 12-man squad for the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), with seamer Matthew Potts in line to make his first appearance in the series.
Potts, who was unused throughout the tour, is set to claim his 11th Test cap after Gus Atkinson was ruled out with a hamstring injury during the fourth Test.
England won the match to reduce Australia’s lead to 3-1. Matthew Fisher is the only other leading seamer in the squad to be drafted out of the England Lions set-up following Mark Wood’s withdrawal due to a left knee injury. Jofra Archer also left the tour due to a side strain.
Following the controversy surrounding the Boxing Day Test pitch at the MCG – which produced a two-day final – England are hoping for a more batter-friendly surface in Sydney.
The SCG pitch showed some green on Friday and captain Ben Stokes will assess it again on Saturday before finalizing the playing XI ahead of Sunday’s start.
Stokes usually prefers to announce his squad 48 hours before a Test, but has adopted a more cautious approach on this tour due to the uncertainty of the conditions.
England also announced a 12-man squad for the opening Test in Perth, where Shoaib Bashir missed out as the team opted for an all-base attack.
Bashir is unlikely to be included in the playing XI again, especially with rain forecast for the first two days and Will Jacks being a spin-bowling all-rounder to add depth to the batting.
All the Pats’ Test matches since the start of the 2022 home summer have come under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.
The Durham fast bowler took 20 wickets in his first five Tests at an average of 28.
However, he left later that summer as Ollie Robinson returned to the team, and picked up a further five caps over the next three years.
Speaking at the SCG on Friday, opener Zach Crawley praised Potts’ work ethic and attitude during Australia’s long tour.
“He impresses me every time I face him,” Crawley said. “He has the heart of a lion and a lot of talent. If he gets the recognition this week, he absolutely deserves it.”
Potts’ selection for the Ashes tour is not guaranteed, as England appear to have moved on from him in recent times.
His last Test outing was against New Zealand in December 2024, but opportunities opened up after Jamie Overton retired from red-ball cricket and Chris Woakes suffered a shoulder injury during the last Test against India last summer.
Although England may never regain the Ashes series, Potts can play a key role in helping the tourists to another consolation win. Crawley said finishing the series 3-2 would be a significant morale boost.
“There’s a big difference internally between 3-2 and 3-1 or 4-1,” Crawley said. “It shows how united we are. Even if the series doesn’t go our way, a strong performance this week will say a lot about us.”
England Squad for Fifth Ashes Test:
Ben Stokes (catch), Shoaib Basheer, Jacob Bethel, Harry Brook, Brayden Garse, Zach Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (week) and Josh Dungu.