Anderson’s return only positive on dismal day
It says everything about England’s day that they were happy to watch two stewards comically chase a stray dog around the outfield for five minutes just before tea because it brought a respite to their suffering.
On a chastening first day of the second test, the return of Jimmy Anderson was the only bright spot for the touring side. the 34-year-old admitted he had missed the thrill of taking wickets, after marking his first day’s test cricket since August with three Indian scalps.
‘It was great to be back,’ Anderson said. ‘I have spent the last two months working really hard. It has been frustrating, but it has been worth it. I have missed playing cricket and taking wickets. ‘You can’t get that sort of feeling in any other walk of life, so to get amongst it with the ball meant a lot.’
Anderson, who said he felt no pain in the right shoulder that has troubled him ever since a small fracture was discovered in the summer, warned England that they face a tough challenge if they are to stay in contention.
‘I’m not sure the pitch will stay together as well as in Rajkot,’ he said. ‘We are in a tough position, and we need to have a good day with the ball and an extremely good go with the bat.’
Sadly for England, the failed attempt to catch the dog was not the worst attempt at a catch during yesterday’s play. that dubious honour fell to Adil Rashid, who made a hash of a chance that could have changed the complexion of the match. When Virat Kohli, the key man in this India line-up, top-edged a pull off Ben Stokes to fine leg, coach trevor Bayliss would probably have wanted anyone in his team other than Rashid to be under it.
Sure enough, Rashid spilled a difficult chance — much to the frustration of Stokes. It would have seen India’s third wicket fall for 131.
Kohli, then on 56, made England pay as he moved smoothly on to an unbeaten 151 to guide his side to a formidable-looking 317 for four.
to be fair, Rashid has been working hard to try and shed his image as one of the worst fielders in this team, but how England needed to take every chance on offer following Kohli continuing his habit of winning tosses for India.
this pitch, at a Visakhapatnam Stadium staging its first test, was perfect for batting for much of yesterday, but the early sight of the odd ball misbehaving as the day went on was a concern for England.
there seems little doubt that the surface is going to deteriorate, and England are in trouble unless they can strike quickly today, and then bat out of their skins.
Most disappointingly yesterday, the spin trio who outbowled India’s slow bowlers in the first test all had a bad day, with only Rashid posing anything like a threat.
And with Stuart Broad struggling with a wrist injury, England looked short of attacking options, but they can be grateful for the return of Anderson, who thoroughly justified his selection.
England have been curiously reluctant to trust the Lancashire man’s word on his fitness, but he has looked so good in the nets of late that there was little doubt their record wicket-taker was ready to return. He proved himself by being by far the best bowler of the day.
He bounced out Murali Vijay then dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara to end a stand of 226 with Kohli, and finally claimed Ajinkya Rahane with the second new ball. What Anderson could not do was prompt the departure of the superstar that is Kohli.
Only when he was perilously close to lbw reverse sweeping Moeen on 139 did England again trouble a man whose restrained celebration on reaching three figures made it clear that he intended to bat on to a very big score. Pujara had the same plan but never looked as secure as his captain and he was snared by Anderson, but not before reaching his third century in three tests and a fourth against England. Anderson, though, is well and truly back and as important to England as ever. But with Alastair Cook delaying taking the second new ball and then not attacking enough with it, they ended the first day in the doghouse. Already it looks like it will be a long battle for England to get out of it from here.