LONDON: England fast bowler James Anderson has been ruled out for the rest of the Ashes series against Australia due to a niggling calf injury, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Friday.

Anderson, who was playing for county side Lancashire’s second XI in a friendly against Durham earlier this week, felt pain in his right calf after which he was withdrawn from the rest of the match.

“England and Lancashire seamer James Anderson has been ruled out for the rest of the Ashes series,” the ECB said in a statement. “Whilst bowling in the ninth over on Thursday in Lancashire’s second XI four-day friendly against Durham at Chester Boughton Hall Cricket Club, Anderson became aware of right calf pain following on from 20 overs he had bowled on Tuesday.

“He immediately sought a medical assessment from Lancashire and was withdrawn from the remainder of the game,” the statement added. “Further review with the ECB medical team has confirmed that he will be unavailable for the remaining two Tests.”

England’s leading Test wicket-taker Anderson, who had struggled to be fit for the series opener against Australia at Edgbaston, pulled up injured after bowling just four overs on day one of the first Test which the hosts went on to lose by 251 runs.

With fellow fast bowler Mark Wood also ruled out for the rest of the season through injury, Somerset pacer Craig Overton has been added to the 13-man squad for the fourth Test at Old Trafford that begins on Wednesday (Sept 4).

Overton, who last played for England in March 2018, has picked up seven wickets in three Tests since making his debut against Australia in 2017.

The series is currently locked at 1-1 following England’s dramatic one-wicket win in the third Test at Headingley where all-rounder Ben Stokes’s 135 not out saw them to a stunning win.

The final Test of the series begins on Sept 12 at The Oval in London.

Squad: Joe Root (captain), Jason Roy, Rory Burns, Joe Denly, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, Sam Curran, Craig Overton.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2019