England ‘play it safe’ with Anderson
England’s wicketkeeper Jos Buttler knows exactly how fit and well James Anderson is – he nicked a delivery of pace and perfect length from the 39-year-old swing and seam maestro a handful of balls before the end of their net session on Monday.
Anderson’s withdrawal from contention for England’s bowling attack for the first Ashes test at the Gabba today caused a hubbub around Brisbane, not least because it was first reported that he had a calf niggle, the same problem that wrecked Anderson’s 2019 campaign.
However, as Ashes eve unfolded it looked more like a re-allocation of resources for Joe Root’s touring team rather than a genuine injury scare, with a second pink ball test now added to the schedule in place of what would have been a red ball game in Perth.
There had always been some queries over whether Anderson would play the first test in Brisbane, as it was never likely
that at 39 he would be asked to take part in all five matches of the series.
‘‘Jimmy is fit, he’s been bowling for a while, he bowled well in the nets yesterday, and he’s bowling again today, had a few spells in the truncated warm-up game,’’ Buttler said. ‘‘So just a precautionary measure with an incredibly long series ahead, I think the guys are just playing it a little bit safe.
‘‘From my experience, since I’ve been here, Jimmy’s been bowling well. He looks good to me.’’
While Buttler said he had been unaware that the fifth test was now guaranteed to be a day/night affair, England’s planners will have factored in the chance to throw a pink ball to Anderson on two occasions rather than one.
That the final test of the series has been moved out of Western Australia and will now be played in the eastern states – Hobart, Melbourne or Sydney – forced England to rethink how they use Anderson across the five matches.
Anderson claimed 5-43 with the pink ball under lights in Adelaide in 2017, when Australia were rolled for 138 in their second innings to set up the closest finish of an otherwise lopsided series four years ago.
By contrast, Anderson’s two poorest Australian venues across four previous Ashes tours are Brisbane (seven wickets at 75.14) and Perth (10 at 40.7). He has fared far better in Adelaide (16 at 29.5), Melbourne (13 at 24.23) and Sydney (14 at 29).
Without Anderson, England will be left to choose between Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad and Jack
Leach for their four full-time bowlers, plus the all-round skills of Ben Stokes.
Buttler, who while a long-time member of the England set-up has not previously started an away Ashes series with the gloves, said that the battle between Root and new Australian captain Pat Cummins would be keenly – if cordially – contested.
‘‘It kind of has to be at the moment because we’re sharing a hotel,’’ Buttler said. ‘‘So a few awkward lift conversations – lifts are awkward at the best of times. But two great men as leaders of their teams.’’