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England unchanged as Stokes backs Anderson for future

England's James Anderson, who turns 41 on the fourth day of the fifth Test, has retained his place. (AP PHOTO)

England captain Ben Stokes has backed James Anderson to play well beyond his 41st birthday, after keeping the seamer in their team for the fifth Ashes Test.

Stokes confirmed England would take an unchanged side into The Oval for Thursday's Test, with the bowlers reasonably fresh after last week's wash out in Manchester.

Anderson will enter this match with the biggest spotlight on him of all players.

The seamer will turn 41 on Sunday, making him the first frontline quick to play in a Test at that age since India's Lala Amarnath in 1952.

Anderson has been restricted to four wickets in four Tests this series, with former captain Michael Vaughan conceding his selection may have cost England the Ashes.

But as far as Anderson is concerned, he has no intention of this Test against Australia being his last.

In a column in The UK Telegraph on Wednesday, the seamer maintained he had no plans of retiring and planned to stick around if Stokes and team staff wanted him.

"I keep talking to the coach and captain," Anderson wrote.

"They want me around, so as long as I am still hungry, want to put in the work then I will keep trying to give my best for the team. 

"That is exactly where I am at the minute."

On Wednesday, Stokes confirmed that was the case and he had no doubt Anderson still had much more to offer England.

"James Anderson is the greatest fast bowler to play the game," he said. 

"He's still looking as good as he was two years ago, although he hasn't had the impact he would have liked in this series.

"He's quality. It's very hard for you guys to sit here and say he's not."

Anderson will have time to further weigh up his future in the next five months, with England not due to play another Test until January in India.

That five-Test series is the only one on the team's horizon before the West Indies and Sri Lanka tour England in the next northern summer.

Anderson's effort to play four Tests in this series comes as fellow veteran Stuart Broad has managed all five Ashes Test plus one against Ireland at the start of June.

Despite the workload, the 37-year-old is the leading wicket taker for the series with 18 at 28.55.  

"At 37 years old it's testament to the work and effort he puts in," Stokes said.

"It's amazing. It was always going to be hard for one bowler to play every game this series but he's been incredible for us. 

"He's been very good at coming on with the ball and changing the game."

ENGLAND: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

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