England’s star seamer hasn’t won a Test against Australia since 2015, and time is running out
Matt Roller27-Jun-2023At London Stadium on Saturday night, Adam Wainwright had one of the worst games of his career. A St Louis Cardinals pitcher, Wainwright conceded seven runs – his worst performance of what is his final Major League Baseball season, at the age of 41. Watching from the stands was James Anderson.Along with Nathan Lyon, Anderson threw the ceremonial first pitch of the match before joining the BBC commentary team, which featured his podcast co-host Felix White. “Remind you of anyone?” White asked Anderson after explaining Wainwright’s back story. “Definitely,” Anderson replied with a wry smile.Anderson’s performance in Birmingham earlier that week was not as bad as Wainwright’s in London – but it was not a Test match that he will look back on with any fondness. He took a solitary wicket in his 38 overs across both innings and admitted in his column this week: “I wasn’t on top of my game”.It could easily have been three wickets, however. Anderson had two chances missed off his bowling: in the first over of the third morning, Jonny Bairstow put Alex Carey down, and in the first over of Australia’s run chase, Usman Khawaja’s outside edge flew away between Bairstow and Joe Root at first slip for four.But uncharacteristically, he played a bit-part role. He bowled fewer overs than England’s other main bowlers; the first innings was the first time in 14 years that he had played in a home Test and not taken the new ball; in the second, he was unused for the final 36.3 overs as Australia snuck home.That stretch included not taking the second new ball. “We agreed it was the type of pitch the taller bowlers were getting more out of,” Anderson said. In a match that was decided in the 93rd over, his final ball was in the 56th – and was crashed over mid-off for four by Cameron Green.James Anderson walks out for practice ahead of his record 28th Test at Lord’s•PA Images via Getty ImagesIt all added up to a familiar sensation for Anderson on the final evening: walking off the field after losing an Ashes Test. This was his 19th defeat to Australia, the third-most of any Englishman after Alec Stewart and Mike Atherton, and his 10th consecutive Ashes Test without a win.Remarkably, the last time Anderson won against Australia was eight years ago at Edgbaston, a Test in which Alastair Cook captained England and Steven Finn was named Player of the Match. This summer, both men are working as pundits for the second successive Ashes series.Four years ago, Anderson came into the Ashes undercooked – and his series lasted four overs. He had not played in over a month after a calf niggle, missed a Test match against Ireland, and suffered a recurrence of his injury at Edgbaston that ruled him out for the summer.This summer, he came into the series after a similar break since his last first-class match and admitted during the first Test: “I feel like I do need a bit of game time to get back into it.” England’s hope is that he will be better for the run, and will have a greater impact at Lord’s this week.”Jimmy’s flying,” Stokes said on Tuesday. “He had a good bowl yesterday and a good bowl today and was completely fine.” England’s decision to pick an extra seamer might alleviate his workload, but Stokes clarified: “We didn’t pick four seamers to make this week easier for Jimmy – just to make that clear.”He’s good,” Stokes added. “I mean, he’s just an unbelievable athlete, still doing what he’s doing at 40 years old… it is just unbelievable to watch him go about his business.” Anderson celebrates his 41st birthday on the penultimate scheduled day of this series.Related
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Anderson has a remarkable record in the Stokes-McCullum era, with 46 wickets at 19.60 even after his quiet outing in Birmingham. He has spoken of feeling reinvigorated by the new regime, enjoying a new lease of life as he approaches the end of a long and storied career.But the first Test was a reminder of his humanity. Anderson has defied retirement for so long that it is hardly worth speculating how long he has left, but told the before the series: “I don’t want to drag it out and people are thinking: ‘Can you just do one?’ I would like to be able to go out on a nice note.”It is often said that England players are remembered for their feats against Australia but Anderson might be an exception to that rule. They are the opponent against whom he averages the most (34.43), with a slightly worse record at home (45 wickets at 35.06) than away (68 at 34.01).The next five weeks provide him with an opportunity to change that. Anderson has thrived at Lord’s and conditions for the second Test looked ideally suited to him: a covering of live grass on a pitch that MCC hope will have more pace than last week’s, plus cloud cover throughout the five days.There are five months between the end of the Ashes and the start of England’s next Test series in India, an obvious opportunity for Anderson to bow out if he decides it is time to move on. What better stage for it than a potential Oval decider?
