TESTS STILL BEST FOR ANDERSON
JIMMY ANDERSON responded yesterday to the growing threat to international cricket from the huge amounts of money on offer in domestic Twenty20 leagues by backing English players to prioritise Tests. England’s record wickettaker, who needs three more victims in tomorrow’s final Test against West Indies to reach 500, accepts the temptations in front of the current generation are vast. But he gave the example of his Lancashire team-mate Jos Buttler, one of the best Twenty20 players in the world, as evidence that England’s finest will not turn their backs on the game’s ultimate format. Anderson was talking at Lord’s as it emerged that the richest tournament of them all, the Indian Premier League, has secured a staggering £1.97billion TV deal with Star India that propels Twenty20 earning potential to a new level. ‘It makes complete sense why guys would want to do it,’ said Anderson ahead of the first ever September Test at Lord’s. ‘Why would you put yourself through five days of hard work when you can play Twenty20 and it’s all over in three-and-a-half hours? ‘But I like to think, certainly in county cricket, the ambition of most is still to play Tests. Look at Jos. He is still playing four-day cricket for Lancashire because he wants to play Tests again. ‘As long as guys like that are showing Test cricket is still important, hopefully the game will be fine. I love T20 but as long as I am fit enough to bowl I will be trying to play Test cricket.’ They were encouraging words from a senior England player when the prospect of domestic cricket worldwide usurping the international game has never been greater. The chances of England’s biggest superstar Ben Stokes being made an offer in next year’s IPL he cannot refuse have been enhanced considerably by an Indian television deal that offers Premier League footballtype wages. Stokes was paid £1.7million for six weeks’ work with Pune in this year’s IPL and there is every chance next year, when they will be offering three-year deals, his earning power could reach £10m over three IPL years. England are relaxed, though, not least because of Stokes’ huge desire to play for his country, and they believe there is enough time in the calendar to keep everyone happy.
SCOTLAND are to play England in a one-day international at The Grange in Edinburgh on June 10 next year, when the visitors will be warming up for six limited-overs home matches against Australia.