Anderson claims prize wicket of Labuschagne
In his first competitive bowl since the Ahmedabad Tests of fateful memory, James Anderson took another step towards his 1,000th first-class wicket, and victim No990 was not a bad one, being Marnus Labuschagne, who not only resembles Steve Smith but even surpasses him now as Australia’s best batsman.
Anderson had not bowled at Labuschagne in the Ashes series of 2019, having broken down in the first Test. Labuschagne was the concussion substitute for Smith in the second at Lord’s and averaged 50 in that series, rising to 60 currently in Tests, which if maintained puts him among the all-time greats. Anderson had Labuschagne caught behind with his fifth ball at him yesterday.
It was stunning how fit Anderson looked aged 38. His response to breaking down at Edgbaston in 2019, and again at Cape Town that winter, has been to get even leaner and fitter. Most pace bowlers would have called it a day; Anderson called his strength and conditioning coach.
Anderson had subjugated Sri Lanka, the one country that had previously thwarted him, last winter and reasserted his pre-eminence in India as England’s premier pace bowler. At the rain-delayed start at 11.25am at Old Trafford yesterday, he peeled off his sweater to bowl in an icy wind and a shortsleeve shirt, waited for Michael Gough, the world’s finest umpire, to call play, and maintained the same standard.
It is true that Anderson’s second ball was a wideish half-volley that David Lloyd, the Glamorgan opener, cover-drove for four – urged to still play his shots after being promoted to open, Lloyd made a worthy foe in scoring 78 – and that he gifted Billy Root a four down leg side. But Anderson still conceded, or most grudgingly yielded, fewer than two runs per over.
The snap, more importantly, was still there. Running in off a dozen paces, Anderson made one ball burst through the wicketkeeper’s gloves when Dane Vilas took a lifter in front of his face. The pitch had decent carry for early May; even so, Anderson hit bats hard, harder than anyone else in Lancashire’s attack, although Saqib Mahmood was quicker.
When Glamorgan lost their first wicket of Joe Cooke, after Anderson had bowled his opening six overs for 13 runs, he did not ask for one more over to have a go at Labuschagne – as if to say, he can wait.
Labuschagne, on returning to Glamorgan for his second season, said he had come to see more of England’s bowlers ahead of the Ashes, and referred to Anderson explicitly. But the taker of 614 Test wickets, having made him wait, pitched on fourth stump and had him caught by Vilas. Next please! Step forward, victim No991.