A bold prediction you might think – especially when this is a name that, until recently, chiefly brought to mind images of long-hops being flayed to the boundary by Brendon McCullum. Those days are gone.
It seems like a lifetime ago that he burst on the scene accompanied by refrains of ‘Bowling Jimmy A! Bowling!’ from the inimitable Alec Stewart – a faint glimmer of hope on yet another optimism-sapping Ashes tour of 2002-2003. The unerring accuracy in Adelaide, which earned him figures of 10-6-12-1 against the mighty Australians, belied the inconsistency that was to dog him for years to come.
That World Cup winter aside, Jimmy Anderson’s career has been one of inaccuracy, under-achievement and under-use. Years of drinks carrying, one-off tests and false dawns had left many, myself included, almost taking for granted the fact that good old Jimmy A probably couldn’t quite cut it with the big boys. Too timid, too quiet, too unreliable.
Every now and again he’d turn up with an outstanding spell and resemble Fred Trueman reincarnate – swinging the ball at pace and looking almost unplayable. Too frequently, these days were followed by a regression to the nervous-looking schoolboy being bullied by the big boys. I’d just about given up hope.
Something, somewhere along the line, seems to have changed. Perhaps it was being made ‘bowlers’ captain’ last summer by Allan Donald. Perhaps it was staring down Dale Steyn during his dogged and outrageously brave 34 as night-watchman at Headingley. Whatever has caused it, there’s one thing that’s certain: this is a new Jimmy Anderson.
His performance in the Caribbean, on some of the flattest surfaces ever to masquerade as test match wickets, was nothing less than heroic. In conditions more akin to Chinese water torture than test cricket, Jimmy A has proved himself to be England’s number 1. ‘About time!’ some of you may be saying. I prefer to think of it as ‘better late than never’.
Conventional swing being Anderson’s traditional weapon, you would expect him to look threatening with the new ball, and he did so each time he took it. Yet, this wasn’t just the hold hooping outswinger that first caught the eye back in 2002. This was a masterclass of controlled swing, in both directions. Perhaps more importantly, he always looked like he had a plan – setting up Chris Gayle with a few that moved away before landing the killer blow with the one coming back, being a case in point.
These days, Anderson isn’t just a new ball bowler – he is a leader of the attack in all conditions. Bowling with incredible stamina and skill, he was a constant threat right through each innings of the series and has developed the ability to pose a real danger with the old ball. In his miraculous, almost match-winning, spell in Trinidad on the final day of the series, he produced a display of reverse-swing reminiscent of Simon Jones four years ago. Swinging the ball both ways, with no discernible change of action, it was a sight to behold, and one that bodes well for the summer to come.
After all, for all the pace of Harmison, Jones and Flintoff in 2005, it was swing that was the undoing of Ricky Ponting’s Australians. The images of Clarke and Katich being bowled without offering a stroke, having been tormented by the reverse swing of Jones and Flintoff respectively, are images that will remain etched in the collective memory of English cricket fans for years to come. These are the kind of feats I believe the Burnley Express can emulate this summer.
What makes me really feel that this isn’t another one of those false dawns, is his all round demeanour and new found confidence. Gone is the placid, cow-eyed youngster who tip-toed weakly back to his mark, endlessly practising his blowing action, hoping it wouldn’t let him down again. These days he glares at the batsman, tells them what he thinks, strides back to his mark ready for another go at him. He kicks at the pitch, in the knowledge that he deserves better, but carries on regardless. He waits, apparently nervelessly, to come in and face the wrath of Fidel Edwards in the dying light, while his batting colleagues cower in the corner, waiting for the morning to come – and he strides out to stoically repel the barrage, always getting in line, always standing tall.
Jimmy Anderson’s here to stay this time. He’s the man who will win England back the Ashes this summer.
