Anderson made a mockery of the notion that he poses a threat only on English green-tops on a day that left Australia with decisions to ponder before PerthJimmy Anderson does his best work after midnight. Australian time. For cricket fans in this country, the presence of the world’s most productive seam bowler of this decade is more theoretical than palpable. He lives on cable TV in the middle of football season.But his record in Australia? That is a story we’re familiar with. Sure he did well in 2010-11, but got properly carted in the whitewashes either side. He’s the guy George Bailey hit for a record 28 runs from an over. Bailey played five Tests. Related: Joe Root digs in...
Dismissals of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Brendon McCullum and Denesh Ramdin are top of the pile for England’s milestone manAnderson’s “second coming” in international cricket began during the 2-1 victory in New Zealand when he removed their first five batsmen on his recall to the side in Wellington. It was cemented in the summer’s follow-up victory at home to the Kiwis with a career-best seven for 43 in the third Test. Among the carnage was the detonation of McCullum’s off-stump – a ball that angled in and then nipped away as the right-hander went to clip it through leg. Continue reading...
Attempt to make Test wicket-taking history held up by West Indies lower-order batsman impervious to an English master at workJimmy Anderson recently explained that fate is what keeps him sane, a crutch that helps him cope with the vagaries of the game. “You have to try to think that way,” he said, “because cricket is a game where you can bowl out of your skin and get no wickets, and you can bowl a pile of rubbish and get five-for.”At 35, he has grown to be pretty phlegmatic about it all but even his faith in the kismet of cricket must have been tested on Thursday afternoon, which he, and everyone else at Lord’s, spent waiting for a wicket which...
Victory in the final Test against West Indies is priority for strike bowler, who says he is ‘not fussed’ about whether he reaches a personal landmark at Lord’sWhen Glenn McGrath brought up his 500th Test wicket at Lord’s in 2005 by teasing an edge to third slip off Marcus Trescothick, the great Australian fast bowler had a pair of gold-stitched bowling boots run on to the field by the 12th man to mark the occasion.Jimmy Anderson, sitting three away from becoming just the third seamer to the milestone after McGrath and Courtney Walsh, has no such plans for the third Investec Test against West Indies, instead preferring to focus on the series decider. Continue reading...
West Indies’ struggles show the problem with the big three’s grab for resources, while teams generally struggle to battle back in matches these days. Joe Root will be happy, thoughFor anyone who lived through the period of domination by West Indies, which lasted about 15 years from 1976, a certain amount of self-pinching has to be done on the eve of a Test match. Yes, we do really yearn for West Indies somehow to find the resolve, the skill and the luck to ensure a good contest at Leeds.Shrewd Yorkshire folk have already come to their conclusion. The ticket sales for the first three days of the Headingley Test are healthy enough. Beyond that no one is prepared to commit...