Bayliss backs Anderson to keep on bowling

ENGLAND’S all-time leading ding Test wicket-taker James Anderderson may be 36, but coach ach Trevor Bayliss believes he’s still got several years of internarnational cricket left in him.

Swing bowler Anderson son made the most of helpful ful conditions with a match h haul of nine for 43 as England overwhelmed India by an innings and 159 runs in the second Test at Lord’s on Sunday.

In the process, he became e the first bowler to take 100 00 Test wickets at Lord’s and nd took his career tally to 553 3 – just 10 shy of Australia great at Glenn McGrath’s record of 563 for the most taken tak by any pace bowler in i Test cricket.

Anderson is also als currently top o of the International Cricket Council’s Test bowling rankings. ranki

“I d o n’t t h i n k there’s any age – he keeps surprising surprisin everyone,” said Bay Bayliss. “As long as he keeps his body fit the there’s no reason why he can’t go on for three or o four years,” he added ad of Anderson, wh who has been managing manag a shoulder injury. injur

“A lot of other bowlers do start to drop off mid-30s or so. It’s only the very, very best that are able to keep it going.

“I think he’s showing that he is the very, very best.”

Anderson has an even better record at Trent Bridge, where the third Test starts on Saturday with England looking for another win that would give them an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

“He’s not just good when the conditions suit him, but in these conditions he’s the best in the world,” Bayliss said.

“It’s a test for any batsman in the world to try to face him in these conditions.”

Even India captain Virat Kohli, who made 200 runs off his own bat including a superb century in England’s narrow 31-run win in the first Test at Edgbaston, struggled at Lord’s.

‘Fantastic’ Woakes

Bayliss said adjusting to the local environment was a problem for all touring teams.

“When the ball is swinging around [India] have some difficulties, as when it’s spinning and we go to the sub-continent,” the Australian explained.

“They have some extremely good players, so our job is to try and stay on top.”

England were without Ben Stokes at Lord’s because of his ongoing trial for affray.

But fellow pace-bowling allrounder Chris Woakes turned in a man-of-the-match display in his absence, returning from injury to score a maiden Test century and take four wickets as well.

His runs, mainly made during a sixth-wicket stand of 189 with Jonny Bairstow, helped England recover from 131 for five to 396 for seven declared.

E n g l a n d n a m e d a n unchanged squad on Monday, with Stokes again omitted, although the selectors said they would assess his position at the end of his trial.