England’s Ashes hopes suffer a blow as James Anderson is ruled out

James Anderson’s troublesome right calf has ruled him out of the remainder of the Ashes as England drafted Somerset seamer Craig Overton into a 13-man squad for the fourth Ashes Test.

The injury has plagued Anderson for a number of weeks, with England’s record wicket-taker feeling pain in the area as he sought to prove his fitness in a Lancashire Second XI fixture earlier this week.

Anderson will therefore miss out at his home ground of Old Trafford for the Test which gets under way on September 4, with Overton added to the 12 that was named ahead of last week’s dramatic one-wicket victory at Headingley.