Stuart Broad preferred to Mark Wood as Moeen Ali returns to England side for First Ashes Test

The First Test against Australia begins at Edgbaston on Friday, with James Anderson and Ollie Robinson coming back into the side having sat out the warm-up win over Ireland.

The first-choice pair’s absences were precautionary after each had suffered minor injuries in County Championship action for Lancashire and Sussex, respectively, and their returns to fitness left Wood and Broad battling for the final place in England’s seam attack this week.

Broad, who took five-for against Ireland at Lord’s, has won the day, meaning the seamer will have an immediate chance to renew his one-sided rivalry with David Warner having dismissed the Australian opener seven times in ten innings during the last Ashes on English soil.

Wood is fit and had been available for selection but has not played any red-ball cricket for Durham this summer, nor any cricket at all since leaving the IPL early to return home for the birth of his second child last month.

The 33-year-old’s express pace offers England’s attack a point of difference, but his workload will have to be carefully managed this summer and in leaving the quick out, Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have avoided the prospect of fielding an entirely changed attack from the Ireland win, with Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts dropping out of the side, along with the injured Jack Leach.

Leach’s stress fracture of the back led Stokes to summon Moeen out of retirement and the spinner will play his first Test in almost two years on his home ground.

Stokes did not bowl at all against Ireland but is expected to play at least some part as an all-rounder this week, having bowled in the nets again on Wednesday morning.

England’s top seven picks itself, with opener Ben Duckett and No5 Harry Brook set to make Ashes debuts, while Jonny Bairstow takes the gloves.