BEN STOKES has fired the starting gun on the Ashes countdown by admitting the first step to beating Australia is bold selection.
At face value, today's first Test against West Indies at Lord's will be Jimmy Anderson's testimonial, after England's three wise men decided it was time to put their record-breaking opening bowler out to pasture.
But it also marks a changing of the guard behind the stumps, with 23-year-old Jamie Smith who does not even keep wicket for Surrey replacing Jonny Bairstow, who was axed after winning his 100th cap in India last winter. And Gus Atkinson (far right), another Test debutant at Headquarters, will not be the last pace bowler to roll off the conveyor belt this summer, with Pennington Dillon and Matthew Potts waiting in the wings to replace Anderson.
Stokes admits England's 188-cap wonder is being offered his swansong with only one target in mind a first Ashes win since 2015.
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