LONDON—England suffered a major blow ahead of the fifth and final Ashes test against Australia when fast bowler Simon Jones was ruled out by injury on Tuesday. Jones hurt his right ankle on the third day of the fourth test at Trent Bridge and failed to recover for The Oval finale, despite undergoing intensive treatment, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said.
England lead the series 2-1 but Australia will retain the Ashes which they have held since 1989 if they can win at The Oval. The test starts on Thursday.
“Jones had a fitness test at Lord’s this morning but was still experiencing pain from the ankle injury,” said an ECB spokesman.
“The test consisted of Jones running around the outfield but he pulled up sore. He has been released from the squad and sent home”.
England vice-captain Marcus Trescothick said Jones’s absence would be “a big blow”.
He added: “He’s unique, so he’s going to leave a big hole. But it’s totally out of our hands now, you can’t sit back and worry. We have to adapt to a new member of the team”.
Jones, who has taken 18 wickets at 21 runs apiece in the Ashes series, told Sky Sports News: “I’ve been working hard on this and I’ve done everything I could have done to get fit. I just needed more time.
“I had a little run-out yesterday and another one this morning but I was still struggling quite badly so obviously there was no chance of me playing. It’s a sickening blow really”.
“I turned up to the oxygen chamber yesterday and it felt pretty good, the best it’s felt since the last test,” added the 26-year-old Welshman, who has been using an oxygen chamber to speed up his recovery.
Jones, who has regularly upset the Australian top-order with his pace and ability to reverse-swing the old ball, took a career-best six for 53 in the third test.
He also took five wickets in Australia’s first innings at Trent Bridge but missed most of the second after undergoing scans in hospital.
He is likely to be replaced by either fellow fast bowler James Anderson or all rounder Paul Collingwood, who were drafted into a 13-man England squad on Sunday.
Anderson, who made a huge impact with his ability to swing the ball during the 2003 World Cup, lost his form and confidence and was sent back to his county side Lancashire to try to regain both.
Collingwood, who has played two tests, is more of a batsman, although he bowls useful medium pace. He is also a world-class fielder at cover point. He was included in the squad for the second match at Edgbaston for 48 hours while conditions were assessed, before being released back to Durham. However, England’s dominance during the series has been based on their powerful bowling attack. Trescothick said he would give his opinion to his captain and coach if asked but declined to say more. The absence of Jones means England will be unable to retain the same side for an entire Ashes series for the first time since Arthur Shrewsbury’s side toured Australia in 1884-5.

—Agencies