<p>England may have already regained the Ashes but captain Alastair Cook is determined not to let-up when they face Australia in the fifth and final Test at The Oval on Thursday — a match that marks rival skipper Michael Clarke’s farewell to international cricket.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Cook’s men triumphed by an innings and 78 runs in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge to take an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the series after Australia, with England paceman Stuart Broad taking a stunning eight for 15, were dismissed for just 60 in 111 balls on the opening morning — the shortest completed first innings of any Test.<br /><br />No England side has ever won four Tests in a home Ashes series. But they are now within sight of their biggest margin of victory since Mike Brearley led England to a 5-1 success ‘Down Under’ against an Australia side weakened by defections to the ‘rebel’ World Series Cricket in 1978/79.<br /><br />Taking this series 4-1 would certainly go some way to avenging the memory of the 5-0 whitewash inflicted upon England in Australia some 18 months ago.<br /><br />There has been talk of how England could promote off-spinning all-rounder Moeen Ali to open in place of the struggling Adam Lyth to make space to play leg-spinner Adil Rashid as well.<br /><br />But the memory of how England gave a debut to left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan in the corresponding Ashes Test at The Oval two years only for the Lancashire bowler — who hasn’t played senior international cricket since — to be smashed for 53 in the eight overs he bowled is sufficiently fresh in the memory to make it likely that Cook will lead an unchanged team.<br /><br />Australia’s top-order had another miserable week as their side were nearly made to follow-on by an under-strength Northamptonshire, one of England’s weaker counties, last weekend.<br /><br />Clarke, one of Australia’s greatest batsmen will be desperate to finish with a flourish as indeed will opener Chris Rogers, who is also retiring after the fifth Test.<br /><br />Anderson ruled out<br /><br />England fast bowler James Anderson will miss the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia as he has failed to recover fully from a side strain, captain Alastair Cook said.<br /><br />Anderson, who suffered the injury in the third Test at Edgbaston, was still around a week away from full fitness, added Cook. He only returned to bowl in the nets on Tuesday.<br /><br />"Unfortunately he's not going to make it," Cook said. "He's gutted about it. He's made really good progress from where he was at Edgbaston but this is a week or so too soon.</p>
<p>England may have already regained the Ashes but captain Alastair Cook is determined not to let-up when they face Australia in the fifth and final Test at The Oval on Thursday — a match that marks rival skipper Michael Clarke’s farewell to international cricket.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Cook’s men triumphed by an innings and 78 runs in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge to take an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the series after Australia, with England paceman Stuart Broad taking a stunning eight for 15, were dismissed for just 60 in 111 balls on the opening morning — the shortest completed first innings of any Test.<br /><br />No England side has ever won four Tests in a home Ashes series. But they are now within sight of their biggest margin of victory since Mike Brearley led England to a 5-1 success ‘Down Under’ against an Australia side weakened by defections to the ‘rebel’ World Series Cricket in 1978/79.<br /><br />Taking this series 4-1 would certainly go some way to avenging the memory of the 5-0 whitewash inflicted upon England in Australia some 18 months ago.<br /><br />There has been talk of how England could promote off-spinning all-rounder Moeen Ali to open in place of the struggling Adam Lyth to make space to play leg-spinner Adil Rashid as well.<br /><br />But the memory of how England gave a debut to left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan in the corresponding Ashes Test at The Oval two years only for the Lancashire bowler — who hasn’t played senior international cricket since — to be smashed for 53 in the eight overs he bowled is sufficiently fresh in the memory to make it likely that Cook will lead an unchanged team.<br /><br />Australia’s top-order had another miserable week as their side were nearly made to follow-on by an under-strength Northamptonshire, one of England’s weaker counties, last weekend.<br /><br />Clarke, one of Australia’s greatest batsmen will be desperate to finish with a flourish as indeed will opener Chris Rogers, who is also retiring after the fifth Test.<br /><br />Anderson ruled out<br /><br />England fast bowler James Anderson will miss the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia as he has failed to recover fully from a side strain, captain Alastair Cook said.<br /><br />Anderson, who suffered the injury in the third Test at Edgbaston, was still around a week away from full fitness, added Cook. He only returned to bowl in the nets on Tuesday.<br /><br />"Unfortunately he's not going to make it," Cook said. "He's gutted about it. He's made really good progress from where he was at Edgbaston but this is a week or so too soon.</p>