England wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow usually is the best-placed man to enjoy and appreciate the famous seam and swing of James Anderson, England’s all-time leading wicket-taker. He has reposed faith in Anderson to push for greater glory at another one of his happy hunting grounds Nottingham at Trent Bridge which happens to be the venue for the third Test between India and England in the 2018 series.
The 36-year old seamer is still fit and raring to go in the longer format of the game. His outstanding match returns of 9/43 in the second test spelt the death-knell for India at Lord’s. His control of the swinging ball is impeccable and batsmen invariably end up fending and poking and giving up their wicket, at the deliveries he bowls with amazing consistency.
“Just take that last game at Lord’s…nine wickets for 43 runs. There’s no reason he can’t keep going, body permitting,” said Bairstow. “His stats are speaking for themselves and there’s potential for him to break every record going for a seamer, I don’t think he’s too far off,” Bairstow said.
Anderson’s best figures in terms of ascending averages in Test cricket:
Overs
BPO
Mdns
Runs
Wkts
Econ
Ave
SR
Opposition
Ground
Start Date
25.1
6
11
45
10
1.78
4.5
15.1
v Sri Lanka
Leeds
19-May-16
25.2
6
10
43
9
1.69
4.77
16.8
v India
Lord’s
9-Aug-18
37
6
15
71
11
1.91
6.45
20.1
v Pakistan
Nottingham
29-Jul-10
36.1
6
12
73
9
2.01
8.11
24.1
v West Indies
Lord’s
7-Sep-17
36
6
11
98
9
2.72
10.88
24
v New Zealand
Nottingham
5-Jun-08
42.3
6
10
125
9
2.94
13.88
28.3
v West Indies
Chester-le-Street
14-May-09
55.5
6
13
158
10
2.82
15.8
33.5
v Australia
Nottingham
10-Jul-13
Anderson’s spell at Lord’s was remarkable in terms of the damage it wreaked on the Indian batting line-up. His returns of 9/43 in the second Test were his personal second-best in terms of bowling average through a completed match and the 14th best on the same scale in the history of the game, with minimum 9 wickets as a qualifier.
Best BBM in terms of averages in Test cricket:
Player
Overs
BPO
Mdns
Runs
Wkts
Econ
Ave
SR
Opposition
Ground
Start Date
J Briggs (ENG)
33.3
4
16
28
15
1.24
1.86
9
v South Africa
Cape Town
25 Mar 1889
H Ironmonger (AUS)
22.5
6
12
24
11
1.05
2.18
12.4
v South Africa
Melbourne
12-Feb-32
GD McGrath (AUS)
33
6
21
27
10
0.81
2.7
19.8
v West Indies
Brisbane
23-Nov-00
ERH Toshack (AUS)
19.3
8
7
31
11
1.2
2.81
14
v India
Brisbane
28-Nov-47
GA Lohmann (ENG)
25.3
5
11
45
15
2.1
3
8.5
v South Africa
Port Elizabeth
13 Feb 1896
GAR Lock (ENG)
24
6
15
29
9
1.2
3.22
16
v New Zealand
Lord’s
19-Jun-58
CA Walsh (WI)
36
6
15
55
13
1.52
4.23
16.6
v New Zealand
Wellington
10-Feb-95
GAR Lock (ENG)
37.4
6
19
48
11
1.27
4.36
20.5
v West Indies
The Oval
22-Aug-57
SF Barnes (ENG)
37.4
6
14
57
13
1.51
4.38
17.3
v South Africa
The Oval
12-Aug-12
FS Trueman (ENG)
16.4
6
7
40
9
2.4
4.44
11.1
v India
Manchester
17-Jul-52
JM Anderson (ENG)
25.1
6
11
45
10
1.78
4.5
15.1
v Sri Lanka
Leeds
19-May-16
MD Marshall (WI)
27.4
6
10
41
9
1.48
4.55
18.4
v England
Manchester
30-Jun-88
JC Laker (ENG)
68
6
27
90
19
1.32
4.73
21.4
v Australia
Manchester
26-Jul-56
JM Anderson (ENG)
25.2
6
10
43
9
1.69
4.77
16.8
v India
Lord’s
9-Aug-18
Anderson is just 10 wickets behind Glenn McGrath’s tally of 563 leading into the third test at Trent Bridge. The fit seamer from Lancashire would look to become the leading wicket-taker amongst seamers by overtaking McGrath by the end of the Test series.
Leading wicket-takers amongst seamers in Test cricket:
Player
Span
Mat
Inns
Balls
Runs
Wkts
GD McGrath (AUS)
1993-2007
124
243
29248
12186
563
JM Anderson (ENG)
2003-2018
140
261
30778
14839
553
CA Walsh (WI)
1984-2001
132
242
30019
12688
519
N Kapil Dev (INDIA)
1978-1994
131
227
27740
12867
434
Sir RJ Hadlee (NZ)
1973-1990
86
150
21918
9611
431
The Lancastrian already has 60 scalps at Trent Bridge – 19 more than closest challenger Alec Bedser – and Bairstow is looking forward to watching a master at work again. “It’s great fun, you’re always in the game,” he said. “It’s fun until he throws the big in-ducker in and you’re not expecting it so it goes for four byes. I think a lot of batsmen would like to know which way the ball is swinging when it’s Jimmy but I don’t think he gives you too many clues,” the wicket-keeper batsman said.
“It’s literally a case of him slightly changing his action and wrist position, he doesn’t drop his left shoulder when he bowls the inswinger like a lot of bowlers tend to do. That’s what makes him so lethal and so dangerous in England. Both Jimmy and Stuart (Broad, his new ball partner) will be licking their lips when it comes to the next Test,” he concluded.
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