James Anderson...

By which reckoning Anderson should have a good few years left in him.

 

He's about 80mph, but still a mystery why he's not had a look in at all given test cricket isn't all on flat, fast wickets. England have picked spinners on non turning wickets so, I dunno.

Not many players with a better record of 261 wickets at a touch over 20 and at 2.68 an over.


Edit: and he's taken plenty of wickets on English test grounds.

 

He might be 42 but theres no bowler who is fitter or suffered fewer injuries.

He also might not be the bowler he was 5-10 years ago - but he’s still the pick of all the seamers available.

I get it, to a point, but I think it’s exceptionally poor on numerous grounds. He hasn’t chosen to retire, he has essentially been retired.

Who has more wickets than him in the last three or four years?

Even over the last twelve months, who has more control, who commands the respect he gets from batting lineups? Who gets his economy rate? Who concedes next to nothing at one end, creating chances from the other end for whoever is bowling there?

Picking younger bowlers to get them ready for an away ashes has some logic but is flawed when they are replacing a bowler who they won’t match (and I mean current form and ability, not what he was years ago), and who I suspect had it been left to him would have been available for at least this whole summer. If we struggle to bowl out the West Indies and Sri Lanka Rob Key has a decision to make on McCullum, as much as bazball has been entertaining, the team hasn’t really moved forward results wise or achieved anything much.

 

I just feel that in English conditions Anderson is a brilliant bowler. I don't think the calender change of Test Cricket later in the summer has suited him. He's best earlier in the season when it's overcast and the ball swings more.

 

Worrying that we havent got an obvious replacement Shame Joffra keeps getting injured.

 

Needs 9 more to overtake the best bowler of all time shane warne, miss warney