James Anderson will return to England’s XI for the upcoming 4th Test of Ashes 2023, which will be played at his home ground of Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.
James Anderson, who played in the first two Tests before missing the third Test, replaces Ollie Robinson in the side for the 4th Test.
It hasn’t been a fruitful Ashes 2023 so far for James Anderson, he picked up only three wickets at an average of 75.33, although he was a bit unlucky with some catch drops, and he’s kept a tidy economy of 2.93.
Ollie Robinson played in Headingley, where England made a comeback win after losing the first two Tests, but he bowled only 11.3 overs before leaving the field due to back spasms.
Even though Robinson had declared himself “100 percent fit” for the Manchester Test, he’s been excluded from the side and James Anderson has been recalled to what is most likely to be his career’s last Test match at his home ground.
Here are 2 major reasons why picking James Anderson for the 4th Ashes Test is the right move made by England:
James Anderson has excellent record at Old Trafford
Anderson has been brilliant at his home ground, Old Trafford, Manchester. In 10 Test matches here, the veteran seamer has taken 37 wickets at an average of 22 and economy of 2.96. Of the 9 England grounds he’s bowled at, his average of 22.02 at Old Trafford is his fourth best.
Further, of all 59 bowlers who have played in at least 5 Tests at Old Trafford, Anderson’s average is the 7th best of them all. England would be happy to learn that Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes have a better bowling average than even Anderson at this venue, and both of them will be playing alongside Anderson at Old Trafford in the 4th Ashes Test. England are putting out their best bowling attack of Woakes, Anderson, Broad, and Mark Wood for the 4th Test.
No substitute for experience
As Anderson didn’t have good numbers to show in the first two Test matches, and seeing how the Aussie batters faltered against Mark Wood’s extra pace, there perhaps were thoughts among the England fans that England could bring in Josh Tounge or Matthew Potts, both of whom have higher pace than Anderson, in the 4th Test. But they decided to stick with their veteran seamer, even though there might not even have been a concern among Ben Stokes and McCullum are Anderson returning to the side after being benched for the third Test.
Earlier during the Ashes series, Anderson himself had written in his column for a newspaper that the pitches in the first two Tests were flat and he would have liked some spice and assistance from the surface. Now, at this home ground, with England needing a victory to keep the Ashes alive, he might get a pitch that would help the seamers and with his vast experience, he could make hay in what is almost certain to be the last home Test match for Anderson, who will turn 41 later this month.
