Anderson’s rib is healed and he wants to go to Sri Lanka

JIMMY ANDERSON has told England selectors he is fit and ready to step in for the injured Jofra Archer on next month’s Test tour of Sri Lanka.

England’s leading wicket-taker suffered a broken rib during the second Test against South Africa at Cape Town early last month.

But the paceman insisted his rehabilitation has gone perfectly and with Archer ruled out with a stress fracture in his elbow, is ready to answer an emergency call.

“It’s good, it’s all healed and I’m back in the gym,” said Anderson.

“I’ve been training for a few weeks now, getting my bowling back up to speed and I feel really good. The aim for me is to get fit for whatever is next and at the moment that is Sri Lanka.

“With a broken bone you are just waiting for that to heal, you’ve not lost any fitness. It’s about building my bowling back up now.

“We’ve got a month before that tour so we have to just wait and see what the selectors think.”

Anderson, 37, has endured an injury-ravaged year, missing five months and the Ashes with a calf injury last summer then suffering a cracked rib at Newlands.

He remains England’s best bowler – his match figures were 7-63 in the second Test – but is finding it harder to stay fit.

Selectors may yet decide he is better saved for the English summer and opt to take Chris Woakes to the sub-continent as Archer’s replacement. Anderson wants to eke every last ounce from his England career.

“If I’m fit I want to be playing for England, wherever that might be,” he added.

“I showed in South Africa I can still do it abroad. I think I’ve been unlucky in the last few months with injuries, but my record before that was pretty good.

“I hope I can keep fit as long as possible, if I’m fit I want to be playing wherever England are.”

England and South Africa were frustrated yesterday as the second ODI at Kingsmead was rained off.

After a delayed start, the hosts reached 71-2 in 11.2 overs – with Quinton de Kock bowled by Joe Root and Temba Bavuma lbw to Chris Jordan – before the rain returned for good.

Eoin Morgan’s side now need to win in Johannesburg tomorrow to avoid slipping to their first bi-lateral ODI series defeat since India three years ago.

Leg spinner Matt Parkinson retained his place ahead of Adil Rashid and Morgan will resist the temptation to parachute in big-match players at the Wanderers.

“If Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali do come back it won’t be to play our strongest team, it might be to get them some cricket under their belts before the T20s,” said the England skipper.

“If they play that will be the reason behind it, not because we want to level the series.”