Anderson is delighted at England fight
JAMES Anderson was delighted to prove there is life in England, and his record-breaking career too, as Joe Root’s team battled back bravely in Adelaide.
Anderson’s first five-wicket haul in Australia helped to sustain England’s revival in the second Ashes Test.
By the close on day four Root’s unbeaten 67 had hauled the tourists to 176-4 as they bid for a new national-record run chase of 354 to level at 1-1.
There were also one or two of this series’ habitual confrontations along the way as Australia’s sledger-in-chief Peter Handscomb engaged Root shortly before stumps – but a titanic cricket battle had undoubtedly outshone any aggro.
Anderson has figures to savour at last down under on his fourth Ashes trip.
“I have been here a few times and not got a five-for,” said the evergreen 35-year-old seamer, who relished his chance – initially under lights on Monday after Australia did not enforce the follow-on.
“We were really annoyed with the way we played for the first two days, so we wanted to show what we could do.
“We did not do ourselves justice in those two innings with the ball or the bat. There was a lot of frustration, so we saw it as an opportunity to show we have fight and character.”
Anderson had plenty of reason for satisfaction on a personal level too, especially after early whispers on this tour England’s seam-andswing medium-fast bowlers cannot compete with the pace of their opposite numbers.
He added: “People keep telling me I am about to finish and retire, so I want to show them I can keep going and I still have wickets in me - like I have shown this week,” he added, his career tally now 514.
“As long as Iam bowling well I am going to keep playing.”