JAMES ANDERSON has been left out of the England squad for the third Test against West Indies at Edgbaston, starting on Thursday.
The fast bowler has been rested ahead of a busy summer schedule, even he is known to be unhappy at the decision.
Anderson has been a key member of the team in the past few years but will sit out the dead rubber against West Indies as England look to protect the paceman from injury.
With a three-Test series against South Africa to come, England skipper Andrew Strauss suggested after the nine-wicket series-clinching win at Trent Bridge last week that the selectors would look to rotate their seamers.
England’s No1 Test status will be on the line against South Africa and, with limited-overs series against West Indies and Australia to come before then, Anderson sits this one out.
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Stuart Broad has, however, been included in the squad although he could also be rested, with quick bowlers Steven Finn and Graham Onions retained in an otherwise unchanged 12-man squad.
Jonny Bairstow has kept his place in an unchanged batting list, meaning Ravi Bopara again misses out after a thigh injury initially ruled him out of the first two Tests.
Anderson has missed just one of England’s past 25 Tests, since he was rested from the 2010 tour of Bangladesh, and national selector Geoff Miller said his omission had been in the “best interests” of the right-armer.
“James will miss this Test as we look to manage his workload ahead of a busy period of cricket this summer and beyond, a decision which is in the best interests of the team and James himself,” he said. “We have been made to work hard for our two victories so far and are delighted to have secured the series, however we know that we will need to continue to play some good cricket if we want a third win against the West Indies this week.”
Anderson has established himself as the leader of England’s attack and said before the squad was announced that he would be disappointed to be left out this week.
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The 29-year-old revealed also that he was fully fit, despite showing signs of a slight quad injury during last week’s Trent Bridge Test. “It would be extremely disappointing for me to miss out,” he said. “It would be different if I felt fatigued or was struggling with an injury. But I believe I am fit to play - and while I am fit to play I want to play in every England game I can.
“Resting players is going to happen more and more often as the schedule gets busier and the ECB has been excellent at monitoring players to keep them fit and ready. Sure, this series has been hard work - back-to-back Tests always are; that’s what we are used to and have to deal with the world over. But five days of rest is more than enough to be ready to play again.”
England squad:
AJ Strauss (captain, Middlesex), JM Bairstow (Yorkshire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), TT Bresnan (Yorkshire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), AN Cook (Essex), ST Finn (Middlesex), G Onions (Durham), KP Pietersen (Surrey), MJ Prior (wkt, Sussex), GP Swann (Nottinghamshire), IJL Trott (Warwickshire).