England’s record wicket-taker shines on return in place of Stuart Broad but there is an argument Joe Root’s attack would be more effective with the pair bowling in tandem
Jimmy Anderson, bloody hell. Six for 40, in fierce heat, while everyone else managed four for 339. His best haul in Asia, 17 years after he first played there. The first five-for recorded in an Asian Test by a 38-year-old seamer. I could go on, but it is only 24 hours since this space was last devoted to Anderson’s excellence.
Happily, there is another angle here that is just as interesting: the ramifications of rotation. On England’s Sri Lanka tour, Anderson and Stuart Broad are sharing a place in the starting XI. It seems to be going rather well, with each man surpassing himself – Broad’s three for 20 in the first Test was a personal best in Sri Lanka. These two elder pacemen have taken nine for 74 from 55 overs of magnificent miserliness in three ininngs. And Broad has not even complained about being left out.
Related: Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow lead England fightback against Sri Lanka
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