MANCHESTER: Australia won the toss and elected to bat first in the third Ashes test against England at Old Trafford starting on Thursday.
Australia changed three players in the squad with batsman David Warner for Phil Hughes, spinner Nathan Lyon for Ashton Agar and Mitchell Starc for injured paceman James Pattinson.
England named an unchanged side with Kevin Pietersen passed fit to play after a calf strain.
England lead the five-match series 2-0 having won the toss and batted in the first two tests.
The weather in Manchester was sunny but with a blanket of cloud.
Teams:
England – Alastair Cook (captain), Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonny Bairstow, Matt Prior (wicketkeeper), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson
Australia – Shane Watson, Chris Rogers, Usman Khawaja, Michael Clarke (captain), Steve Smith, David Warner, Brad Haddin (wicketkeeper), Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon
Umpires: Tony Hill and Marais Erasmus.
