Ashes going swingingly for James Anderson
England paceman James Anderson gave himself a belated birthday present by taking his Test-best figures against Australia here at Edgbaston on Friday.
Anderson, a classic swing bowler when conditions offer some assistance, took five wickets for 80 runs in 24 overs as Australia were bowled out for 263 on the second day of the third Ashes Test after resuming on 126 for one.
Fellow swing bowler Graham Onions got England off to a dramatic start by taking two wickets with the day’s first two balls, having Shane Watson lbw for his overnight 62 and removing Michael Hussey, playing no stroke, for a duck.
Anderson, a day after he turned 27, made sure pressure was applied from both ends by also taking two wickets in two balls to dismiss Marcus North and Mitchell Johnson.
In all on Friday, he took five for 35 runs in 14 overs, figures in marked contrast to the Lancashire quick’s miserable return on Thursday of none for 45 in 10 overs.
“We had a good long chat this morning when we got to the ground,” said Anderson.
“It swung yesterday (Thursday), we didn’t bowl enough balls in the right areas and ask the right questions.”
Anderson and Onions shared nine wickets between them Friday and that meant England captain Andrew Strauss did not have to over-bowl injury-prone spearhead quick Andrew Flintoff, who led the attack in a 115-run victory at Lord’s that put the hosts 1-0 up in the five-match series.”
“We bowled fantastically well all morning. We know it’s going to be a team effort throughout whole series,” Anderson said.
“More than one person chipped in at Lord’s but Fred (Flintoff) took the plaudits on the last day.”
As a succession of batsmen, including captain Ricky Ponting who in the course of his 38 broke Allan Border’s record of 11,174 for most Test runs by an Australian, came and went, questions were again raised about the supposed weakness of the world’s number one ranked side against the swinging ball.
However, Anderson said: “If the ball is swinging and you bowl well, most teams in world are going to have to play well to cope with it.”
England ended Friday on 116 for two, a deficit of 147, with Strauss – who made a century at Lord’s – again looking in fine form while making 64 not out.
“We are in a very good position,” said Anderson, now in his 40th Test.
“We’ve got to look to bat well and bat once. We’ve got a great chance to win this match.”
Anderson’s Test career has suffered from his not always being an automatic selection, with many questioning whether the seamer has the right character to impose himself on opposition batsmen.
His career bowling average against Australia is expensive, at over 46 runs per wicket.
But having bagged his first five-wicket haul against England’s oldest foes, Anderson was in confident mood.
“Australia are the number one in the world so to perform against them is a good way to see where you are at.
“Ottis Gibson (the England bowling coach) has done a fantastic job looking at footage of their guys and plans are working for us.
“I know I’ve been bowling well, a good ball will get a good batsman out in any form of cricket.”
Ponting said: “Those guys are good bowlers when it starts to swing, that’s why they are playing for England. They’re masters of their conditions.
“Both bowled exceptionally well and it was no fluke that one got five and one got four. The ball swung and our batsmen found it very difficult.”
