Anderson to work on fitness at Manchester City facilities

James Anderson is training with Manchester City in an attempt to be fit in time for the England tour to South Africa.

Anderson bowled just four overs during the Ashes due to the recurrence of a calf strain that has also ruled him out of England’s forthcoming tour to New Zealand. Instead, the 37-year-old has been told to concentrate on being fit for the four-test series in South Africa that starts in Centurion on Boxing Day.

England did not want to risk Anderson in New Zealand for a two-match series that does not count towards the Test championship. They would rather he was fully fit for the tour to South Africa, which will be the high point of another busy winter which ends with two Tests in Sri Lanka in March.

Manchester City have agreed for Anderson to use their facilities at the Etihad Stadium, which is handily located for him, and he visited the ground yesterday to meet their medical staff.

It is not unusual for cricketers to train with football clubs. Anderson has worked with Burnley in the past and Jonny Bairstow trained with the Newcastle United goalkeepers as he explored ways to improve his footwork when wicketkeeping.

Anderson is likely to be selected for a bowling camp in South Africa before the main tour starts, which is when he will have to prove his fitness for the Test series. Chris Silverwood, the new England head coach, will speak publicly for the first time today and planning for life after Anderson, and Stuart Broad, is one of his priorities.

England have appointed Mo Bobat as the performance director, a job in which he will work closely with Silverwood and national selector Ed Smith in preparing and identifying international players.

He replaces David Parsons, who left the England and Wales Cricket Board in July.