Ian Bell says England have a ‘selection headache’ ahead of the fourth Ashes Test against Australia and insists he would recall James Anderson on his ground at Old Trafford.
Mark Wood and Chris Woakes produced match-defining performances in their first appearances of the series as England beat Australia by three wickets at Headingley to keep the Ashes alive.
Fitness permitting, England would ideally play both at Manchester and select Stuart Broad for the fourth game in a row, with the 37-year-old taking 22 wickets in that time and dismissing Australia opener David Warner on three occasions.
Bell wants Anderson to join Broad, Wood and Woakes in England’s pace attack at Old Trafford, with Ollie Robinson set to be rested after suffering back spasms in the second Test.
‘With Mark Wood in sensational form England have a selection headache,’ Bell told Betfair. ‘James Anderson and Josh Tongue are waiting in the wings.
‘Ollie Robinson is the man in possession. And Chris Woakes is undroppable after a super all-round effort.
‘As for Wood, I don’t think his body will hold up playing three Tests straight off the bat so he will play in only one more. Dare England risk defeat in Manchester only to bring him back for The Oval with the series gone? Surely not.
‘Stuart Broad, of course, must play and must play all five because he keeps getting David Warner out. Broad is inside his head and it looks a psychological issue now because technically Warner hasn’t been too bad.
‘So Wood, Woakes and Broad all play. My selection would be to recall James Anderson.
‘Jimmy will be chomping at the bit to get out there again knowing his character. He will have watched the ball move in Leeds and be excited to start testing out those Australian batters.’
England are also weighing up who to bat at No. 3 after Harry Brook and Moeen Ali both failed in the position in Leeds following Ollie Pope’s series-ending shoulder injury.
Bell expects England to be flexible with the position in the next two Tests but hopes they resist the temptation to promote Ben Stokes up the order.
‘Harry Brook? Moeen Ali? Jonny Bairstow? Ben Stokes? Joe Root? All are candidates to bat at three for England in the final two Ashes Tests,’ the 41-year-old added.
‘It’s a tricky call but, England being England, I believe they will let the match situation dictate who goes in there.
‘In a fourth-innings chase, for example, I can well see Moeen getting the job to try to give the innings impetus with fast-scoring and panic Australia.
‘If it’s a tight, nail-biting situation maybe Joe is the man for the job. If we were talking about the old-fashioned England I would probably say that Joe should go up.
‘I know he wants to bat at four but there’s not a huge difference between the two positions.
‘I’ve heard a few people mention Stokes. But do we want to give Australia that scalp so early in an innings? I don’t think so. He is our talisman and we would miss those back-end fireworks. Australia fear that.
‘It won’t be Jonny, either. And no, he won’t be dropped. England are going to get around him now and back him to the hilt.
‘Dropping him would send the wrong message to the team and to Australia. They’re all in it together for these last two matches.’
Despite beating world Test champions Australia last week, England are still 2-1 down in the Ashes and must win the next two Tests to reclaim the urn.
MORE : Jonny Bairstow retains gloves as England name squad for fourth Ashes Test
MORE : Michael Vaughan issues Ashes warning to Australia after England keep series alive
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