James Anderson returns for fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford

Veteran seamer replaces Ollie Robinson as hosts look to keep series alive

England's James Anderson, right, with Mark Wood during training at Old Trafford, Manchester, for the fourth Ashes Test. Reuters

England reinforced their bowling attack by recalling veteran fast bowler James Anderson in place of Ollie Robinson for the fourth Ashes Test against Australia that begins on Wednesday at Old Trafford.

Anderson returns to his home ground where England will aim to win and level the series. Australia lead the contest 2-1 and even a draw will see them retain the urn.

Robinson paid the price for his fitness issues in the third Test in Leeds, which England won by three wickets to come back in the series. There the right-arm seamer suffered from back spasms and bowled only 11.2 overs in the first innings. He did not bowl in the second innings, with Chris Woakes sharing the new ball with Stuart Broad.

Anderson, England's leading wicket-taker in Tests with 688 scalps, was rested for the third Test after the 40-year-old struggled to make an impact in the series with just three wickets in the first two matches.

Another change to the side sees all-rounder Moeen Ali promoted to bat at number three, with Ollie Pope ruled out for the rest of the series.

With Anderson returning on what is expected to be a livelier surface compared to the opening two games, England will be confident of keeping Australia's batting in check, with Woakes and Mark Wood proving particularly effective with the new and old ball.

Meanwhile, Australia batsman Usman Khawaja revealed he talked directly to the world governing body, the ICC, to take a more pragmatic approach to over rates after heavy fines during the World Test Championship final and the opening Ashes Tests.

The governing body said at its annual general meeting that it was reducing the penalty from 20 per cent to five per cent for every over a player's team is found to be behind.

Both England and Australia were fined 40 per cent of their match fees in the Edgbaston Test and were also docked two WTC points each. This after India were fined 100 per cent of their match fee for the WTC final that they lost, while the Aussies were docked 80 per cent.

"I was pretty frustrated with what was happening," Khawaja was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia's website in Manchester.

"I'm an ACA [Australian Cricketers' Association] board member and just thought someone has to find a way to speak to the ICC about it.

"We had played three games and they'd been three really good games with results, entertainment, the WTC [final] was the highest-watched Test match ever or something like that.

"Just really good stuff – and we were getting fined 80 per cent of our match fee. It's a lot of money.

"Just really frustrating as a player. You are giving it your all out there, providing entertainment, then you are getting stung for it. Just felt like I needed to speak and Wasim [Khan, ICC's general manager] was really good."

Under the revised ICC rules, over-rate penalties for innings that last less than 80 overs have been voided while match fee fines have been capped at 50 per cent.