Ashes 2019: ‘Hard to say when I might play again’ – James Anderson on injury nightmare
Revealing his current state, Anderson said he is unsure when he can get back on the ground for England but he is not giving up hope of playing a part in the ongoing Ashes series.
cricket Updated: Aug 07, 2019 15:06 IST
Fast-bowler James Anderson still believes he has a role to play in the ongoing Ashes 2019 despite being ruled out of the second Test at Lord’s. Anderson aggravated his calf injury on the first day of the Edgbaston Test, which is sustained while playing for Lancashire a month prior to the first Ashes Test. Revealing his current state, Anderson said he is unsure when he can get back on the ground for England but he is not giving up hope of playing a part in the ongoing series.
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“It’s hard to say when I might play again but it won’t be for a while,” Anderson was quoted as saying by The Sun. “My focus now is to get better and try everything possible to play a role later in the series.”
“I’m sure there will come a point where other bowlers either get injured or need a rest.
“I certainly have no intention of giving up. If I don’t play against Australia, then the winter tours to New Zealand and South Africa are the next target,” he added.
Earlier, Anderson was criticised by former England greats after he could bowl just four overs in England’s humiliating loss in Birmingham. Courtesy of their 251-run loss, England went down 0-1 in the five-match series.
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“I put the blame at Anderson’s door. He wasn’t fit,” former England pacer Darren Gough told talkSPORT. “He wanted to play against Ireland because he is chasing 600 wickets. That pull is there and he’s not far away.”
“He’s been an absolute great bowler and still is but he is getting older and is coming back from a calf strain. He was rushed back to try and play against Ireland and obviously wasn’t fit so they gave him another week.
“No fitness test in between has him playing. He goes from bowling a few balls in the net to an Ashes Test. The intensity with an Ashes Test means you lift your normal game by five or 10 per cent and it’s gone. That’s one of, if not the biggest reason we have lost this game,” he added.
First Published: Aug 07, 2019 15:04 IST