WE’RE BACK!
Jimmy’s 6-wicket heroics stun the Aussies and banish Lord’s misery
Jimmy Anderson said he was spurred on by his Lord’s nightmare as england skittled Australia for 136 on a remarkable opening day of the third investec Test at edgbaston.
Anderson, who celebrates his 33rd birthday today, took a superb six for 47 — the best Ashes figures of his career — before the hosts finished a dominant day on 133 for three, with ian Bell making a fluent 53.
it was the perfect response from Anderson to going wicketless in the defeat at Lord’s in the second Test and he said: ‘We were all disappointed with the way we performed at Lord’s, but having a week away did us the world of good. We were all refreshed, and we wanted to prove to people we were better than that.
‘i was happy with the way i bowled. six-for against Australia in a crucial game will rank highly for me on a personal level, but i feel we can bowl better.’
Anderson, who is on the verge of breaking into the all-time top 10 among Test wicket-takers, spent time between england’s 405-run thrashing at Lord’s and this game working on his technique with bowling coach ottis Gibson.
‘ottis thought i was just putting the ball there during the Lord’s game, so we worked on finishing my action a bit more,’ he said.
‘After getting no wickets, obviously the confidence takes a bit of a hit. But what it does do is make you more determined to get wickets and bowl better.
‘i knew i could have bowled better than i did at Lord’s. so after the work that i’d done, and the week off, i felt my confidence was pretty high.
‘my job is to take wickets, set the tone with the new ball, try to make it move if i can.’
Australian opener Chris rogers, who came through concerns about his fitness after being hit on the head by Anderson at Lord’s, scrapped his way to 52 but admitted: ‘They were tough
conditions. We didn’t expect them to be as hard as they were. ‘The clouds came over, it swung and it seamed. I just managed to get through. ‘The others got some good balls and there were probably some disappointing shots as well. When you get conditions like this, Anderson comes into his own. He bowled very well, but I don’t think we played him as well as we possibly could.’ Rogers also had words of praise for Steven Finn on his return to Test cricket. ‘Their whole group bowled well, particularly Steven Finn,’ said Rogers. ‘I guess I saw him at his lowest ebb... he was probably in tears here at Edgbaston during a game here. ‘It’s a long way back and credit to him, but he is the opposition at the moment.’ England will continue inviting big-name former players to speak to the dressing-room with Bob Willis and Alec Stewart, both former captains, speaking at the final two Tests. Willis, who took 325 Test wickets, will address the squad at the fourth Test in Nottingham, while Stewart, England’s third-highest run-scorer, will do so ahead of the final Test at The Oval.