Ashes 2019: England bowler Jofra Archer is left out of first Test against Australia

Ashes 2019: England bowler Jofra Archer is left out of first Test against Australia

England bowling coach Chris Silverwood (left) and Jofra Archer talk during trainingMen's Ashes 2019: England v Australia, first Specsavers TestVenue: Edgbaston Dates: 1-5 August Start time: 11:00 BSTCoverage: Ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and BBC Sport website, plus in-play highlights and text commentary

England have left pace bowler Jofra Archer out of their team for the first Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston on Thursday.

Archer, who is yet to play a Test, was England's leading wicket-taker in their successful World Cup campaign.

Chris Woakes is preferred on his home ground after his six wickets in a win over Ireland last week.

Fast bowler James Anderson missed the win against Ireland with a calf injury, but is fit to play.

Anderson, England's all-time leading wicket-taker, will lead an attack that also includes Stuart Broad, off-spinner Moeen Ali and all-rounder Ben Stokes.

The rest of the side is as expected, with captain Joe Root moving up one place to bat at three behind openers Rory Burns and Jason Roy.

With Joe Denly batting at four, Root has elevated himself to break up a trio of players that have only 11 Test caps between them.

On his decision to return to number three, having previously stated his preference for batting at four, Root told BBC Sport: "It was completely my decision.

"It's an opportunity for me to get in there earlier to spread out the experience.

"It's a really good chance for me to cement this spot and make it my own. Having captained this side for a while, I feel like a I can get my head around juggling leading on the field and batting."

Jos Buttler, who, like Stokes, was rested for the Ireland game, returns to the middle-order, with wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow moving down to number seven.

Archer was born in Barbados to a British father and qualified to play for England in March.

After the World Cup, he was nursing a side injury and returned to Barbados to rest, missing the chance for a Test debut against Ireland.

He returned to action on Friday, playing for Sussex in the Twenty20 Blast.

"Jofra is coming back from a serious injury," said Root. "We looked at the conditions and went with what we thought was best to take 20 wickets here.

"It always give him the chance to get 100% fit. That will be monitored throughout the week."

Australia captain Tim Paine declined to confirm his team, saying it will be named at the toss on Thursday.

Batsmen Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft are in line to play their first Tests since being banned for their involvement in a ball-tampering scandal against South Africa in 2018.

England XI: Rory Burns, Jason Roy, Joe Root, Joe Denly, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

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