England’s Ashes tour lurched to a fresh low as their player of the series, Jofra Archer, was ruled out of the remaining two Tests through injury.
Archer will play no part in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne or the New Year clash in Sydney after being diagnosed with a left side strain, the latest in a long line of injuries for the seamer.
The 30-year-old spent four years battling a variety of fitness issues, including stress fractures of the back and right elbow, but has been superb since making a long-awaited red-ball return against India over the summer.
In the third Test, he took 5-53 in the first innings and scored 51 to emerge as a shining light in an increasingly horrendous tour but, after playing each of the first three Tests against Australia, he has succumbed again.
He joined the squad at training on Christmas Eve at the MCG, but played no part in practice and a spokesperson later confirmed he was out for the remainder of the trip.
Jacob Bethell replaces the beleaguered Ollie Pope at number three
Gus Atkinson replaces Archer in England’s squad tasked with salvaging some pride at the MCG on Friday, while Ollie Pope has finally run out of road at number three as Jacob Bethell gets the nod for what will be comfortably the biggest game of his career.
Pope has been under pressure for a year, averages 17 across 16 Ashes innings and lost the vice-captaincy just before travelling to Australia. He now faces a return to county cricket and a long road back after 64 Tests.
England squad for fourth Ashes Test
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue.
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