Rankin gets Ashes start

The Warwickshire pace bowler along with Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance and Durham’s all around Scott Borthwick came into Alastair Cook’s England side for the fifth and final Ashes test against Australia.

In August 2012, Rankin announced that he would cease playing for Ireland, with the hope of one day playing for the English team. He debuted for England against New Zealand in a T20 match in June 2013, before forcing his way into England’s Ashes squad.

The 29-year-old, who’s mother Dawn, brother Robert and sister Jemma were all in attendance at the Sydney Cricket Ground, will be hoping to play his part in stopping Michael Clarke’s men securing a 5-0 whitewash.