Record-breaking bowler James Anderson sidelined for rest of the Ashes series

England's record Test wicket-taker James Anderson has been ruled out of the Ashes series after a recurrence of the calf injury he sustained in the first Test at Edgbaston.

Anderson, who missed the second and third matches of the five-Test series, had returned to Lancashire in order to boost his chances of a recall for the fourth Test, which starts at his home ground Old Trafford on September 4.

However, the 37-year-old suffered further pain in his calf during an appearance for Lancashire's second 11 and will play no further part in the series against Australia.

Anderson had been 5-2 favourite, and as short as 6-4, to be England's leading series wicket-taker, but he bowled only four overs before injury struck at Edgbaston.

England favourites to go 2-1 up at Old Trafford

On Thursday Betway were offering odds of 4-9 about Anderson playing in the fourth Test and fellow paceman Chris Woakes was 11-8 to retain his place. Woakes will now be vying for a spot with Craig Overton, who took seven wickets in three Tests on the 2017-18 tours of Australia and New Zealand, and Surrey left-armer Sam Curran.

Having levelled the series through Ben Stokes's extraordinary century at Headingley, England are 11-8 to regain the Ashes and 5-4 to win the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Steve Smith is expected to return in Manchester after missing the Leeds defeat due to concussion. Smith, 7-4 favourite to top-score in Australia's first innings at Old Trafford, was dismissed for 23 by Derbyshire leg-spinner Matt Critchley in the tour match at Derby on Friday.

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