King James admits attack of wobbles
JAMES ANDERSON admitted feeling highly strung on his return to Test duty in Galle yesterday — although it did not show in his performance. England’s most prolific bowler in Test history was in action for the first time since reaching the 600-wicket mark last August and added three more victims to the tally with fine first-day figures of three for 24. After stepping into the new-ball shoes of Stuart Broad — who set the tone for the seven-wicket win on the same ground last week — Anderson said: ‘There were a lot of nerves. Nerves are not unusual but there were more than normal because, not playing for a while, you want to try
to hit the ground running and get into that rhythm early on. Luckily, it did slot straight back in.’
Anderson struck twice in his opening spell to dent Sri Lanka’s batting after they won the toss — and again immediately after lunch. the hosts ended the first day on 229 for four.
Anderson said: ‘Generally, I was really happy with the way I bowled.
‘We all stuck at our task really well and it was more a traditional pitch where it seems like it’s good to bat on at the start and will deteriorate as the game goes on.
‘there wasn’t that spin we saw on the first day of the first test. We had to work hard to keep the runs down.’
No- one worked harder than Anderson’s fast-bowling partner Mark Wood, who defied the heat and humidity to send down a heroic post-tea spell.
Anderson reflected: ‘ He was saying he was tired after about three overs so to get through eight was a really amazing effort.
‘After bowling pretty well first game and going wicketless, he was thinking, “Is it going to go the same way?” But he stuck at it.
‘ We’ve put a real focus on getting in and out of a spell and passing that spell on to the next guy because we know it’s going to be short and sharp.
‘We’re doing an important job for the team and you may not get the wickets in that spell, but you are setting it up for the next guy.’