England Elected to Bat Against Aussies in Final Test

London: England captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bat against Australia in the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Oval on Thursday.

England made two changes from the side that lost the fourth Test at Headingley by an innings and 80 runs.

All-rounder Andrew Flintoff, playing his last Test before his injury-induced retirement from the five-day format, was recalled in place of pace bowler Graham Onions after the selectors had left him out at Headingley because of fears his right knee problem would prevent him getting through the match.

Meanwhile South Africa born batsman Jonathan Trott was drafted in for his Test debut after England dropped the out-of-form Ravi Bopara.

England's line-up meant they only went in with one front-line spinner in the retained Graeme Swann with left-armer Monty Panesar, included in a 14-man squad, failing to make the final XI.

Australia were unchanged, with the tourists again going in with an all pace attack and leaving out off-spinner Nathan Hauritz.

Brett Lee was also omitted, meaning the veteran fast bowler would play no part at all in this series after sustaining a side injury ahead of the drawn first Test in Cardiff.

Australia's victory at Headingley left the five-match series all square at 1-1 and meant they needed only to avoid defeat at the Oval to retain the Ashes while England had to win to regain them.

The last time the Ashes were all square at 1-1 heading into the fifth Test was in 1965/66. Then, as now, England needed to win to regain the Ashes but could only manage a draw.

There has been no drawn Ashes series since 1972 when a five-match contest ended 2-2 with one draw.

England squad: Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Jonathan Trott, Matthew Prior (wk), Andrew Flintoff, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Stephen Harmison, James Anderson

Australia squad: Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Marcus North, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Stuart Clark, Ben Hilfenhaus.