Ashes race against time for Anderson
CRICKET
JAMES Anderson is out of Lancashire’s next game and faces a race to be fit for the start of the Ashes next month after it was revealed the England seamer suffered a low grade muscle tear to his right calf last week.
The nation’s all-time leading Test wickettaker is seen as instrumental to their chances of toppling Australia but he pulled up while attempting to bowl during the Red Rose’s Specsavers County Championship clash against Durham.
The 36-year-old, who only returned to bat briefly with a runner on the final day of the match after suffering the injury on day three, and did not bowl for the remainder of the drawn game, underwent scans which highlighted the injury.
The England and Wales Cricket Board says his availability will be “reassessed on an ongoing basis” for the one-off Test against Ireland, starting on July 24 at Lord’s, and the Ashes, which gets under way at Edgbaston on August 1.
He is not in the Lancashire side for the Division Two match with Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, which started yesterday, and has been ruled out already for the match with Sussex at Emirates Old Trafford, which starts on Saturday.
The ECB will then assess Anderson ahead of the historic Test against Ireland at Lord’s, which starts on July 24, befwore the Ashes Series begins on August 1.
An ECB statement said: “England seam bowler Jimmy Anderson, who left the field during Lancashire’s Specsavers County Championship match against Durham at Sedbergh School on Tuesday July 2 due to tightness to his right calf, underwent an MRI scan on Friday.
“The MRI confirmed that Anderson has suffered a low grade calf muscle tear.
“As a result of the injury, he will commence a rehabilitation programme with the England and Lancashire CCC medical teams.
“Anderson will miss Lancashire’s next two Championship matches against Northants and Sussex.
“He will be reassessed on an ongoing basis regarding his availability for the Specsavers Test match versus Ireland at Lord’s on July 24 and the Specsavers Ashes Series against Australia starting on August 1.”