"It may have been a little bit of rust" - Mark Butcher on James Anderson's struggles in 1st Ashes Test
Former England cricketer Mark Butcher reckons that James Anderson's lack of impact in the first Ashes Test was due to rust. However, the 50-year-old conceded to have been taken by surprise by Anderson's admission of not wanting to play if there is no improvement in the pitches.
Anderson, who managed only one wicket in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston, criticized the pitch at the venue for being non-responsive via his column in The Telegraph. The Lancashire bowler underlined that he is done in the Ashes if the tracks remain like these.
In his column for Sky Sports, Butcher admitted Anderson had an off game but claimed that the veteran is a master of all conditions.
"Jimmy Anderson has also come out and been critical of the pitch prepared for the first Test. Conditions certainly didn't offer him, or any of the seamers, a great deal. He didn't have his best game, but Jimmy is a master in all conditions nowadays, so it may have been a little bit of rust after his groin injury."
Given Anderson's workhorse-type attitude, the Surrey batter feels it was surprising to see him speak candidly.
"He has worked unbelievably hard to be able to make something happen even in the flattest conditions and you very rarely hear him moan about surfaces. So that's interesting in itself, the fact that he's decided to go public about what he thought."
Anderson, who has bagged 686 scalps in 180 Tests, has been England's leading red-ball seamer of the decade. He was also outstanding on the lifeless pitches during the Pakistan tour last year, claiming eight wickets in two matches at 18.50.
"England's problems with extreme pace are well documented" - Mark Butcher
Butcher also remarked on England's struggles with their express pace bowlers, adding:
"England's problems with extreme pace are well documented, you've got injuries all over the place - Jofra Archer out before the series even started, Olly Stone injured and we're not entirely sure about Mark Wood's status at the moment."
A blow for England ahead of the #Ashes with the ECB confirming Jofra Archer will miss the entire home summer after a "recurrence of a stress fracture to his right elbow".
England lost by two wickets at Edgbaston thanks to an inspired knock from Pat Cummins and will be keen to level the series in the second Test at Lord's, which starts on June 28.