James Anderson delivers one of the best overs by a fast bowler in sub-continent conditions
England’s old warhorse James Anderson keeps proving the theory repeatedly that “Age is just a mere number.” The Lancastrian, who is getting better with every passing year, delivered one of the best overs by a fast bowler in Test cricket in sub-continent conditions.
James Anderson enjoyed that over, especially on seeing stumps flying.
“It's always nice to see the stumps cartwheeling out the ground. It doesn't happen very often at my age, so I'm really happy with it,” said Anderson.
There is a famous saying in cricket that you cannot win a Test match with the bat in one over, but one can do it with the ball. James Anderson did precisely that in favour of the visiting side on the final day of the first Test against India at Chepauk in Chennai.
One of the reasons why Cricket is a very different sport is how the playing conditions dictate the team’s strategies irrespective of one’s stature. James Anderson, who is considered to be one of the greatest fast bowlers this game has ever seen, had to wait for his turn to bowl as left-arm spinner Jack Leach and young tearaway quick Jofra Archer took the new ball.
It was only the first time in 12 years that James Anderson had not opened the bowling for England in Test matches. Joe Root was waiting for the ball to become slightly old, so that reverse swing might come into play.
James Anderson was waiting for his turn to have an impact on the game on the final day. He must have been visualizing the areas that he needs to target on that dry surface and ways of dismissing the batsmen.
The right arm swing bowler was finally given the ball after 13 overs into the day. It was the 27th over of the innings that the world witnessed a genius with the ball. Let's revisit that over ball by ball.
27th Over in India’s second innings
26.1: Anderson, who is known for his outswingers to right-handers, started with an in-swinger to Shubman Gill. The Indian opener, who reached his 3rd half-century in the previous over, looked in good touch once again. He pushed it tentatively towards mid-wicket.
26.2: This delivery showed why Anderson is one of the best in the business. The Englishman found a rough patch just outside the off stump and pitched this delivery bang on the spot, reverse swinging into the right-hander. Gill was a little late and the minute gap between the pad and the bat was good enough for the ball to sneak through. The off-stump went cartwheeling. The well-set batsman was dismissed.
26.3: Ajinkya Rahane was welcomed with a delivery that went away from the right-hander. Anderson had the shiny side towards the outside and bent the ball away. It was a little too wide for Rahane's liking. He left it alone.
26.4: Anderson didn’t wait too long to get the reverse swing back into the right-hander. The delivery hit Rahane on the pads as he came on to the front foot. It looked out to the naked eye; however, the umpire gave the benefit of the doubt in favour of the batsman. England didn’t hesitate to send it upstairs and replays suggested the impact was marginally outside off stump and that meant the umpire’s call would remain. Rahane lived to fight another day, albeit by a very thin margin.
26.5: Then the next ball, Anderson decided that he didn’t need the umpire’s fingers to be raised. He went through the defenses of Ajinkya Rahane with another incredible in-swinging delivery. The master of swing used the crease this time as he went slightly wide to get the ball to shape in from outside off stump. Rahane, like Gill, was late in getting on to the front foot and the ball sent the off-stump for another walk around the ground.
26.6: Anderson went from over to round the wicket to left-hander Rishab Pant. He tried to take the ball away but Pant got forward and pushed the ball to mid-on.
The double wicket maiden over from James Anderson changed the entire complexion on the last day, which ended in England winning the first Test quite comfortably before the tea break. The visitors are now 1-0 up in the 4-match Test series.