Expressing his displeasure over the flat pitch in the Ashes opener, veteran England seamer James Anderson says he’s “done” if similar tracks are produced for the remainder of the series.
Ahead of the series, England skipper Ben Stokes said England wanted fast flat pitches to help execute their attacking style of play. However, Anderson said the benign Edgbaston track was “like kryptonite for me.”
“If all the pitches are like that I’m done in the Ashes series. That pitch was like kryptonite for me. There was not much swing, no reverse swing, no seam movement, no bounce and no pace,” Anderson wrote in his column for The Telegraph.
“I’ve tried over the years to hone my skills so I can bowl in any conditions but everything I tried made no difference. I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle.”
The 40-year-old Anderson, the world’s most successful pacer, managed to take just one wicket in the first Test as England lost the match by two wickets.
“It’s a long series and hopefully I can contribute at some point, but if all the pitches are like that I’m done in the Ashes series.”
Anderson and Stuart Broad have been pivotal for England, snaring wickets even on flat pitches.
The legendary fast bowler conceded he didn’t meet his own expectation while also revealing why he wasn’t handed the second new ball late on the final day.
“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. I want to make up for it at Lord’s and all I can do is turn up on Sunday and prepare to play.
“I didn’t take the new ball in the first innings or late on the final day. I had a chat with Ben Stokes about how I felt. We agreed it was the type of pitch the taller bowlers were getting more out of. I was completely on board with that.”
Anderson also defended teammate Ollie Robinson, who was involved in a fiery exchange with Australia opener Usman Khawaja.
The pacer has copped a lot of criticism for his expletive-laden sendoff to Khawaja.
“Ollie did nothing wrong when he had his moment with Khawaja. In fact, I stood at mid-off for most of the game and didn’t hear anything said by either team that was unacceptable,” Anderson wrote.
“I don’t want Ollie to change. I like him getting fired up. He bowls better when he is in that mood. From personal experience, I know I bowl better when I am a bit more aggressive and intense.
“It has revved up a few former Australia cricketers who have had a bit to say in the media. That’s OK. I’m sure I will be doing that as an ex-player.
“You have to keep your name in the papers and keep getting a job. It is to be expected. More and more people will come out of the woodwork with that kind of stuff as the series goes on.”
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