Coventry Telegraph

Anderson’s sure bowlers will pass next stern Test

- By SONIA TWIGG

JAMES Anderson insists the England team are “chomping at the bit” to get their first Test in Pakistan for 17 years under way in Rawalpindi tomorrow.

The 40-year-old is the only member of the squad to have toured the country before, in 2005, but he only featured in red-ball tour matches and one-day internatio­nals, not the Test series.

It is the only cricket-playing nation where Anderson has yet to play Test matches during his two decades in profession­al cricket, and the seamer is ready to embrace the new challenge.

“(We are) really excited,” he said. “Especially after the summer we had in Test cricket, we felt like we were building something and we want to keep that kind of momentum building and to be a part of that in the summer was amazing.

“Then, to be a part of what is a really exciting challenge for us out here... Different conditions, different to what we will have experience­d before as a group.

“It’s a really exciting challenge and I think all of us are just chomping at the bit.”

In March, Australia became the first of the big three cricketing nations (India and England being the others) to embark on a Test tour of Pakistan again and the first two games ended in high-scoring draws before the visitors clinched a series victory in the final match.

However, Anderson believes England have what it takes to claim 20 wickets in each match, a feat Australia managed in only the final Test.

In Rawalpindi, just 14 wickets fell across the five days and it could prove a tough challenge for the England bowling attack. Anderson continued: “We’re trying to make sure we (the bowlers) have all bases covered for every eventualit­y and make sure we know what fields we might set, talking specifics about their batters as well and trying to work out plans for them.

“But I think, at this level, it’s happened for a few years in the Test team in particular where we, I wouldn’t say we’re self-sufficient, but we do look after each other, and we’ve got great analysts.”

 ?? ?? James Anderson believes England can take 20 wickets
James Anderson believes England can take 20 wickets

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