England drop Jason Roy for 5th Ashes Test

LONDON: England have dropped Jason Roy for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia that starts on Thursday, as they look to level the series at 2-2.

The World Cup winner has failed to impress in the first four matches of the series, either as an opener or when he dropped down the order at Old Trafford, where he made a top score of 31.

Paceman Craig Overton has also been left out for the clash at the Oval, with Sam Curran and Chris Woakes, who made way for Overton at Old Trafford, coming into the side.

The England and Wales Cricket Board also confirmed that Ben Stokes would play as a specialist batsman due to a shoulder injury.

England need a victory at the Oval to draw the series, although Australia have already retained the Ashes.

Captain Joe Root said Roy had missed out due to Stokes´s injury, which meant the side needed re-balancing.

"It´s always tough to leave guys out, but Stokesy obviously picked up a shoulder injury in the last game and won´t be able to bowl the overs we normally expect him to," he said on Wednesday.

"With that we´ve had to change the balance of the side, and Jason´s the unfortunate one to miss out.

"Jason´s had an opportunity to come in and play Test cricket, get a feel for it and it´s not quite gone how he would have liked.

"But I´m sure he´ll go away and work extremely hard and come back again."

England team for fifth Ashes Test at the Oval:

Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes