Matthew Potts set to make Ashes appearance at SCG

Matthew Potts is set to make his first appearance at the Ashes in the final Test in Sydney, after England named a 12-man squad that also features Shoaib Bashir.

Potts has been a unused member of the party for the entirety of the tour, but is poised for an 11th cap after Gus Atkinson was ruled out with a hamstring injury picked up in the fourth Test, which England won to make it 3-1. Matthew Fisher is the only other seamer on the ground, having been called in from the Lions set-up to replace the injured Mark Wood (left knee), with Jofra Archer also having departed with a side strain.

Given the fallout from the Boxing Day Test, with plenty of scorn reserved for a spicy MCG pitch that contributed to a two-day finish, England anticipate a flatter surface this week at the SCG. It bore a slight green tinge on Friday, and Stokes is waiting to have another look at the pitch on Saturday ahead of the Sunday start before naming an XI.

Stokes is usually game for announcing a team 48 hours before the start of a Test, but has been more cautious on this trip amid general uncertainty over conditions. A 12-man squad was also announced for the first Test in Perth, with Bashir the one to miss out on that occasion as England opted for an all-pace attack. Bashir is likely to miss out again, particularly given the forecast for the Test, with rain scheduled for the first two days. It is unlikely England will see the need for two offspin options with Will Jacks present as a slow-bowling allrounder, or that Bashir, a No. 11, will replace Jacks given England want the extra batting.

All Potts' Test appearances have come since Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum took the reins of the side at the start of the 2022 summer. The seamer impressed with his relentlessness with the ball, taking 20 wickets at an average of 28 in his first five Tests. However, he was parked for the final two Tests of that summer - against South Africa - as Ollie Robinson returned to the fray. Potts subsequently earned five more caps over the next three years.

Speaking on Friday at the SCG, opening batter Zak Crawley championed the Durham quick, particularly his work-rate and attitude in the nets over what has been a long two months in Australia.

"Every time I face him he impresses me," Crawley said of Potts. "He's got the heart of a lion, a lot of skill, and if he gets the nod this week, he thoroughly deserves it."

Potts' place on this Ashes tour was certainly not guaranteed, with England seemingly moving on from him as both an out-and-out quick and accurate, highly skilled seamer. His last Test appearances came against New Zealand in December 2024 and he has benefitted from Jamie Overton's red-ball retirement and the shoulder injury to Chris Woakes, both coming at last summer's final Test against India.

Nevertheless, Potts has a chance to help England to another consolation win. Though the Ashes are gone, backing up the four-wicket win in Melbourne with more success in Sydney would be encouraging.

"I think there is a big difference, just internally in the group," said Crawley on a 3-2 scoreline rather than 3- or 4-1. "It shows a lot about how united we are if we can get a win. It [the series] might not go our way but if we can put in a good performance this week I think it shows a lot about us."

England squad for fifth Ashes Test

Ben Stokes (capt), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue