Confident Anderson knew he would edge England home
James Anderson says he was full of confidence that he could survive the final over and secure England a draw in the fourth Ashes Test in Sydney.
The 39-year-old is renowned for his bowling, as England’s all-time leading wicket-taker, but not so much for his skills with the bat.
However, he successfully negotiated the final over from Australia’s part-time spinner Steve Smith to earn a draw on 270 for nine, after they had been set 388 to win, and salvage some pride for an England side already 3-0 down in the series.
“There was a moment when the umpires said it was toodarktobowlseam,”Anderson said.
“It was then I thought ‘I’ve got this. Spin is my absolute niche’. I absolutely love facing spin.
“I felt quietly confident going out there. If Pat Cummins had been bowling you’d have seen a lot more of the whites of my eyes.
“TheminuteIgotoutthere Stuart Broad was telling me what to do – ‘get a big stride in, smother the ball, don’t let the bounce beat your bat’.
“I was like ‘it’s alright mate, I’ve played before, it’s fine’.”
Anderson also revealed what he said to Smith at the end of the match, after fluffing his lines with the final delivery.
“Five balls from Steve
Smith, he landed them really well, but the sixth – I don’t think Steve would begrudge me using the word ‘pie’,” Anderson added.
“When I shook his hand I said ‘what was that?’ He said ‘the pressure got to me’.”
England all-rounder Ben Stokes is hopeful of being fit for the fifth Test in Hobart despite a side strain, according to Anderson.
Stokes suffered the injury to his left side in Sydney but will travel and be assessed beforetheday-nightseriesfinale
begins on Friday.
“He’s already saying that it feels a bit better,” Anderson said.
“Even though we’re 3-0 down.Itwouldbeveryeasyfor him to say ‘I’ve pulled my side, I’ll go home and get it sorted’. He’s still got his sights on playing that fifth Test.
“It shows what playing for this team means to him.”
AustraliacaptainPatCumminshadnoregretsaboutfalling one wicket short of a 4-0 lead in the Ashes, admitting he found a tense draw in Sydney
“a lot of fun”.
Cummins was denied victory for the first time since taking over as skipper at the start of the series, but only by the slenderest of margins.
Hunting 10 English wickets on day five at the SCG, he saw his team take nine before number 11 James Anderson negotiated the final over of the match to claim a share of the spoils.
England were second best by a distance, never even contemplating a dart at the winning target of 388 and finishing118short,butCummins
was not in the market for recriminations.
“Most of all it was a lot of fun. They fought hard, that’s whywelovethegame,”hesaid.
“Havingalotofrunsonthe boardmeantwecouldgetpretty creative out there and it always felt like we were looking for wickets.
"Thehardestthingwastryingtochooseamongstourfive bowlers.
“I was able to make quite a few calls – some of them came off, some of them didn’t.”