"I feel like I've bowled as well as I ever have" - James Anderson not thinking about retirement
England seamer James Anderson has reiterated his desire to keep playing amid scrutiny about his place in the Test side. The right-arm seamer feels he has bowled well despite his lack of wickets in the 2023 Ashes series.
Anderson has struggled in the Ashes series so far and has taken only six wickets in four innings at an average of 64.50. The 40-year-old picked up one wicket in Australia's first innings in the final Ashes Test at the Kia Oval, dismissing Mitchell Marsh.
Speaking to Sky Sports after Day 2 at the Oval, the veteran stated that he has ignored the outside talk and is confident about his body being in a good place. The Lancashire bowler also brushed aside any doubts about his skills.
"I'd like to [make my own decision]. But I've tried not to listen to the talk, because, for me, that question has been there for the last six years, and even longer than that. As soon as you get into your 30s as a bowler, it's 'how long have you got left?'. And for the last three, four years, I feel like I've bowled as well as I ever have. I feel like I've been bowling with so much control. My body's in a good place. My skills are as good as they ever have been."
Anderson had an excellent year with the ball in 2022, taking 36 wickets at 19.81. He performed commendably last year in Pakistan on placid wickets as he snared eight scalps in two Tests at 18.50.
"I'm still trying to do a job for the team" - James Anderson
The veteran seamer lamented the lack of wickets but admitted to taking pride in building pressure for other bowlers to provide breakthroughs. Anderson elaborated:
"Unfortunately we all know, as professional cricketers, that you go through lean patches. You just pray that it's not in the most high-profile series that you can play in! But for me, I try and look at it objectively. I look at how I've bowled in the game."
"Yes, I've not got the wickets that I wanted, but I'm still trying to do a job for the team, still trying to help the guy out at the other end as well, trying to create pressure and create something in the game."
Meanwhile, Australia took a slender 12-run lead at the end of Day 2 as England struggled to clean up the tail quickly.