Ashes: James Anderson urges calm after calls to change following Australia thrashing
JIMMY ANDERSON believes England should resist calls for change after the Ashes series drubbing.
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A fifth Test defeat by an innings - the second of a miserable tour to Australia - heaped further misery on England in Sydney.
But veteran paceman Anderson, who has twice been whitewashed 5-0 in Australia, says a major shake-up of the players and the coaching set-up would be a mistake.
Anderson, 35, said: “It doesn’t feel like a series where there should be a big upheaval.
“We’ve actually played some good cricket. We’ve not been blown away in every game and it doesn’t feel like a completely disastrous series.
“We’re hurting and we know that we’ve got to improve in many areas. You’re always looking to improve, particularly after a loss. But I actually think we have improved over the last 18 months.
“And the next Ashes in England are only 18 months away – we’ve got to start planning for that and getting those Ashes back.
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“It doesn’t feel like a series where there should be a big upheaval”
Jimmy Anderson
“You see the delight on the faces of the Australian’s who have just picked up the trophy there. We want that feeling back and we want the Ashes back in England. It starts now.”
England have not won a series away from home since 2015-16 when they beat South Africa, having drawn with Bangladesh before losing 4-0 to India and now to Australia.
It’s a bleak record which hardly screams improvement. But England, at times, have been in positions of strength in every one of these Test matches.
And England’s record wicket taker, who will take his place in March’s Test tour to New Zealand, maintained the series has been closer than the scorelines have suggested.
Anderson added: “We’ve been on top in some games, if not all of them, and I do think it’s been closer than 4-0.
“We’ve just not capitalised on the key moments, making big scores with the bat, taking a couple more wickets that would get us on top.
“They’ve played the pressurised moments better than us and when they’ve put the pressure on us we haven’t reacted very well.”
Vice-captain Anderson was performing post-match duties in the absence of skipper Root, who was suffering with gastroenteritis which had seen him visit hospital before play.
After Moeen Alli had fallen to Nathan Lyon for the seventh time in nine innings, Root resumed to turn his 42 into an unbeaten 58 as he guided England to lunch without further loss.
But Root did not appear after the break, retiring ill with fatigue and dehydration after finally admitting defeat. Just over an hour later it all was.
England’s hopes of an improbable rearguard ended once Jonny Bairstow (38) was pinned in front by Pat Cummins. Stuart Broad and Mason Crane fell cheaply to short deliveries.
And Anderson was last man out, wrongly adjudged to have edged Josh Hazlewood behind, only to discover that England had used their two referrals as Steve Smith’s men won by an innings and 123 runs.
The Lancastrian was full of praise for Root despite him enduring a tough time this winter, adding: “He was up all night with some sort of bug.
“I think the heat from the last couple of days had taken its toll so hopefully a bit of sleep and rehydration will get him back to 100 per cent.
“It’s been a tough tour for him but I think he’s handled everything with a lot of confidence. He should be very proud of the way he has captained the side.”