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England debut three for third Test

England selectors ring the changes to bring in three uncapped players to face South Africa at The Oval in venue's 100th Test

Five Tests before the Ashes series begins, England have swapped out a quarter of their playing XI with three debutants for the third Test against South Africa starting today.

Essex batsman Tom Westley and Middlesex teammates Dawid Malan, a batsman, and pace bowler Toby Roland-Jones, all received their caps on The Oval outfield before the coin toss.

It is the most debutants in a match for England for three years. Against Sri Lanka at Lord's in 2014 Chris Jordan, Sam Robson and Moeen Ali all made their debut, with Moeen the only one of that trio still playing Test cricket.

England skipper Joe Root won the coin toss, and the home side will bat first in the 100th Test match at The Oval in south London.

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Westley's presence in the playing XI had been confirmed well in advance of the match, the batter coming in to the side in place of the under-fire Gary Ballance, who was ruled out after fracturing a finger in England's heavy second-Test defeat.

Ballance had been under enormous pressure to retain his position, but the injury removed the need for a decision from the England selectors.

Roland-Jones was confirmed as a starter on match eve when captain Joe Root confirmed pace bowler Mark Wood was out with a heel injury.

Wood was forced off the field during the Trent Bridge match where South Africa secured a thumping win that leveled the series, and the quick was down on pace in the match.

The left heel bruising is not connected to the chronic ankle injury that has required three operations, and the bowler is yet to play three consecutive Tests in his career.

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Roland-Jones has been a regular in the England Test squad and made his one-day international debut earlier this season in a match against the Proteas before the Champions Trophy tournament. 

The surprise selection was that of Dawid Malan, the 29-year-old batsman who impressed on his T20 debut against South Africa at the start of the northern summer. 

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Malan comes in to the side for left-arm spinner Liam Dawson, who had admitted he had found the step up to international cricket a steep learning curve. 

After making his Test debut in India last December, Dawson took two wickets in each innings of the first Test against the Proteas at Lord's, before bowling just 18 overs and taking one wicket in the second at Trent Bridge.

James Anderson, playing his 125th Test match, also received a commemorative cap from fellow bowler Stuart Broad.

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

South Africa: Heino Kuhn, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wk), Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Vernon Philander, Chris Morris, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel