Jimmy Anderson: ‘I feel a bit of a spare part... I can’t wait for next summer’

Jimmy Anderson admits he is relishing the chance to be let loose on Australia in English conditions next summer, following a disappointing tour of Sri Lanka.

The 36-year-old has been rested for this week’s final Test in Colombo after taking just one wicket at an average of 105 in a series that has been dominated by the spinners.

England, who have wrapped up the series with a game to spare, no doubt had next year’s Ashes in mind when they made the decision to leave out Anderson, with Stuart Broad taking his place for the Third Test, starting on Friday at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

And it is a series the Lancashire seamer is already focused on.

“One thing that playing out here has really made me look forward to is getting a Duke’s (ball) back in my hand,” said Anderson. “I’m relishing the English summer, as well.

“Sometimes, when the conditions are a lot more seamer friendly, you have to do a lot more bowling and you take it for granted. But playing out here makes you appreciate it a bit more.”

This series has been hard work for the seamers, with England’s spinners Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and Jack Leach having taken 34 of the 40 Sri Lankan wickets to have fallen in the first two Tests.

“I feel like I’ve tried my best, but it’s not really been a series for the seamers,” added Anderson. “It’s turning square. There’s no pace in the pitch, there’s not been much carry and not much reverse-swing. So, when you’re not getting lateral movement in the air and nothing off the pitch, you feel a bit like a bowling machine.

“I feel like a bit of a spare part, but I think that’s just the nature of playing cricket here.”

Jimmy Anderson

Anderson may have had a disappointing personal series with the ball, but he admits the achievement of becoming the first England team to win in Sri Lanka since 2001 is among the best of a career that has spanned 145 Tests and includes notable overseas series wins in Australia in 2010-11, India in 2012 and South Africa in 2015-16.

“It’s been right up there, a real big stepping stone for us as a team,” he said. “We’ve been good in parts over the past 18 months, but a bit inconsistent. I think the improvements we’ve made — and continue to make — have really shown this trip.

“Some of the performances — Ben Foakes and Rory Burns coming in have done really well, Keaton [Jennings] with his hundred [in Galle] — there’s been really positive signs for individuals. There were question marks over certain positions, but I think we’re getting to a place where we have got a lot of options.”

From the outside, this series win feels like a landmark one for Joe Root’s Test captaincy, 18 months after he took over the job from predecessor Alastair Cook.

Anderson agrees it is a similar mood within the England camp.

“Yeah, I certainly feel like in the past previous teams might not have played as positively as we have with the bat,” he said.

“The message from Joe has been ‘Go out and play your way, be confident’. We’ve played positively, tried to take the attacking option and I think that’s why we’re 2-0 up.”

It has been a squad effort, too, with Broad and wicketkeeper/batsman Jonny Bairstow being forced to miss out on the opening two Tests.

“I think the thing about the squad at the minute is everyone is fighting for a place,” added Anderson. “Jonny was fit for the last game and missed out. To have a guy of his quality missing out shows the strength we’ve got at the moment.

“Everyone is pushing each other. When you’ve got that competition, it drives the standards of play up and the performances on the field.

“That’s how you improve as a team and keep winning Test series — by driving those standards. Everyone who’s been part of this squad has done that in practice.”

As for the future, Anderson, who admitted at the end of the last English summer he would take it one series at a time, is as hungry as ever to add to the 565 Test wickets he has so far.

Asked if he wants to play every game, he joked: “It depends on the pitches. If they are like this, I might just knock it on the head!

“But, yes, I want to play every game possible. Joe told me this morning [about missing the Colombo Test]. I had a feeling it might be the case, that there might be a few changes. You don’t want to miss a Test — I never like it — but I understand the reasoning behind it.”