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England sweat on Anderson's replacement

Mark Wood's ankle injury a concern for England after James Anderson was ruled out of the fourth Test with side strain

England are hopeful pace bowler Mark Wood will recover from an ankle complaint in time to take injured star James Anderson's place for Thursday's fourth Test at Trent Bridge.

The home side's Ashes campaign was dealt a serious blow when Anderson was ruled out of the fourth Test with a side strain, but coach Trevor Bayliss said he was hopeful Wood, who played the first two Tests of the series, would be able to step back into the playing XI.

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A devastated Anderson leaves Edgbaston on day two // Getty

Wood, who claimed match figures of 4-119 and 1-131 in the first two Tests, was replaced by Steve Finn at Edgbaston after complaining of ankle soreness.

"Woody we're still not really sure of at the moment, but we're hopeful that he is improving each day," Bayliss said after England's comprehensive eight-wicket third Test victory.

"Hopefully he is right for Trent Bridge but there are one or two other guys that have been mentioned in dispatches around the squad since I've been here, so I think those guys will be spoken about and get the first opportunity to play if needed."

Quick Single: Anderson ruled out of fourth Test

Other potential replacements for Anderson – whose availability for the fifth Test at The Oval will be determined in due course – could include Durham's Chris Rushworth, who has taken 69 wickets at 18.63 to date in this year's County Championship, Chris Woakes, who trained with England ahead of the Edgbaston Test, and Liam Plunkett, who played the most recent of his 13 Tests in mid-2014.

Finn's return to the England Test line-up at Edgbaston after a two-year exile – and after once being deemed "unselectable" by former England selector Ashley Giles – was hailed as a piece of selection genius, after the 26-year-old bowled with venom and accuracy to take 2-38 and 6-79.

Watch: Finn rips through Aussie batting line-up

"It certainly wasn't just my selection, there were other people involved in it at well, but it is good when things like that come off," Bayliss said.

Despite recording a comprehensive eight-wicket victory inside three days, the England mentor said consistency would be the challenge for his young side, who achieved an enormous turnaround after their 405-run thrashing at Lord's in the second Test.

"It was a good sign that they were able to put that (Lord's) result behind them and put it down to a bad performance," Bayliss said.

"They were very honest in the change room after the game that they were disappointed and a little embarrassed, I think, in the way they played.

"I think to move forward you've got to admit your mistakes and be honest with yourself and they certainly were that after Lord's. They showed in this match what they are capable of.

"But obviously the challenge is to play as well two games in a row.

"Apart from the three or four experienced guys in this team, we have got a reasonably young team and that's the challenge that will lie in front of them over the next few years."

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