England bat against injury-hit South Africa in fourth Test

The hosts were unchanged from the side that won the third Test at The Oval by 239 runs on Monday to go 2-1 up in this four-match series.

South Africa, however, were forced into making two changes.

Key seamer Vernon Philander, troubled by a stomach bug at The Oval, and pace-bowling all-rounder Chris Morris were both ruled out with lower back strains.

“Vernon and Chris have been struggling with injuries to their left lower backs this week,” said Proteas team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee.

“They didn’t come through their respective fitness assessments successfully and will unfortunately not be able to take part in this Test match.”

Philander and Morris’s places were taken by middle-order batsman Theunis de Bruyn, who played in England’s series-opening win at Lord’s, and fast bowler Duanne Olivier, who was in the South Africa side that won the third Test by at Trent Bridge by 340 runs.

Root, explaining his decision to bat first in overcast conditions, as he’d also done at The Oval, said: “It looks a good wicket.

“We have had success here batting first so hopefully we can build a good platform and do the same here.

“There’s no changes to the team. I was really pleased with how everyone played last week, so we have to back it up now.”

South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis, who played at Old Trafford for Lancashire, said he too would have made first use of the pitch if the coin had fallen in his favour.

“It looks a pretty good wicket and we’d have batted first. The overhead conditions give us an opportunity.

“Hopefully the series keeps going the way it has. It’s important for us to start really well and get some control of the Test match.

“Two-all would be great. It’s a good test of our character. The previous game didn’t go according to plan but we’re looking to rectify that.”

South Africa have not lost a Test series in England since 1998 and in their past 19 away Test series they have suffered just one campaign reverse — against India in 2015/16.

Before play started a presentation was made to James Anderson after the Pavilion End at the Lancashire swing bowler’s Old Trafford home ground was officially renamed the James Anderson End in honour of England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker.

Teams

England: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Tom Westley, Joe Root (capt), Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow (wkt), Moeen Ali, Toby Roland-Jones, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

South Africa: Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Faf du Plessis (capt), Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Duanne Olivier

Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK), Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)

TV umpire: Joel Wilson (WIS)

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)