James Anderson: Edgbaston pitch was ‘like kryptonite for me’
James Anderson has admitted that the Edgbaston pitch for the first Ashes Test was “like kryptonite” for him, and warns that if the surfaces for the remaining 4 matches of the collection show to be equally flat, then he can be “done”.
Anderson, who turns 41 subsequent month, returned the disappointing figures of 1 for 109 in 38 overs throughout Australia’s two-wicket win within the first Test, and was noticeably missed for the essential new ball when England have been striving for a breakthrough on the tense remaining afternoon.
He was unfortunate in his first spell of the second innings, when Usman Khawaja – Australia’s participant of the match – edged at a catchable peak previous Jonny Bairstow in Anderson’s first over. But general, he conceded that his physique had felt rusty in his first outing since choosing up a groin pressure whereas enjoying for Lancashire within the County Championship final month.
“This is an Ashes series. It is a big deal,” Anderson wrote in his column in The Telegraph. “When you play on a flat pitch like the one at Edgbaston and take a wicket, a bit more emotion does come out because you have worked extra hard for it.
“That pitch was like kryptonite for me. There was not a lot swing, no reverse swing, no seam motion, no bounce and no tempo. I’ve tried over time to hone my expertise so I can bowl in any circumstances however the whole lot I attempted made no distinction. I felt like I used to be preventing an uphill battle. It’s a protracted collection and hopefully, I can contribute sooner or later, but when all of the pitches are like that I’m carried out within the Ashes collection.”
With Anderson below his best, England struggled for penetration at key moments at Edgbaston, and having encountered some difficulty in dislodging Ireland on the final day of their recent Test at Lord’s, there will doubtless be some temptation to bring in the extra pace of Mark Wood for next week’s second Test at the same venue.
Anderson, nevertheless, is assured that he can be higher for the game-time, no matter his disappointing displaying.
“There was a bit of rustiness but I gave it everything I could,” he stated. “Having played for a long time, I realise you can’t take wickets every game. Sometimes it is not your week. It felt like that for me. I know I wasn’t on top of my game this week. It was not my best performance. I know I have more to offer and contribute to the team.
“The physique felt fairly good. There is a few stiffness however I put that all the way down to the distinctive circumstances. We have been operating in on a really mushy outfield then touchdown on a rock-hard pitch and that takes its toll on the physique greater than regular. All the bowlers have been feeling {that a} bit.”
Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson led the line for England’s quicks at Edgbaston, with Robinson returning the commendable figures of 40.4-12-98-5 across the two innings. However, his performance was equally notable for his on-field run-in with Usman Khawaja, which has since developed into an ongoing feud with Australia’s media as a whole, following more outspoken feedback in his column for Wisden.com.
Anderson even stepped in to pull Robinson away from a contratemps with Khawaja in the second innings, but insisted in his column that he wouldn’t be encouraging him to tone down his attitude as the series progresses.
“I do not need Ollie to vary,” Anderson said. “I like him getting fired up. He bowls higher when he’s in that temper. From private expertise, I do know I bowl higher when I’m a bit extra aggressive and intense.
“I stepped in to chat to Ollie when he and Usman were having an exchange of views in the second innings. It was gentle stuff, they were just talking cricket.
“Whenever I watched cricket as a child I needed to see bowlers fired up. It makes for higher theatre and is much more gratifying to observe. Everyone is simply inspired to be themselves in our group. Some folks don’t love getting right into a verbal battle. Some do. Robbo thrives on it.”