Ashes 2017/18: James Anderson Hopes Adelaide Pitch to be Conducive for Bowlers
Apr 6, 2019 at 2:07 PM
It was a bitter pill to swallow for England after suffering a crushing ten-wicket loss at the hands of Australia after fighting hard for the first three days of the Brisbane match.
England was ahead when they had reduced the Aussies to 76/4 in their 1st innings but a magnificent century by Aussie skipper Steven Smith ensured the Aussie made a strong comeback and ended up taking a crucial lead of 26 runs in the 1st innings.
England tried numerous tactics including the short ball barrage, but it didn’t affect Smith, as he went on to smash his 21st Test century. English spearhead James Anderson agreed with the fact Smith was the thorn in the flesh for the English bowlers but hoped for a more bowling friendly and a lively track at the Adelaide Oval.
“He was the difference between the two teams. That first innings lead would’ve been huge for us,” he said. “Obviously, the plans to him, I wouldn’t say they didn’t work, but we didn’t get him out, so they worked to an extent. We dried his runs up and made him work really hard for his hundred, but obviously, we want to get him out.
“Hopefully, more pace in the wicket might help us, but we’ve just got to be as relentless as we possibly can to someone like that,” he added. “So, getting him out here will be crucial.”
Anderson was hopeful of the fact that they could exploit Australia’s batting line-up who was tottering at 76/4 before Smith played a sensational inning and brought the hosts back into the match.
“The encouraging thing for us is we came up with plans to all their batsmen before the series started and probably 70 percent of them worked,” he said. “For us that’s encouraging, we can build on that. But there’s still that small matter of someone getting 140 which we need to deal with.
“We know the dangers of David Warner at the top of the innings as well, so we’ve got to keep working hard at getting those guys out because we know how pivotal they are in their line-up,” he added.
Meanwhile, Anderson has vowed the Aussies to continue their verbal assaults.
“It’s something I’ve always enjoyed,” he said. “When someone is trying to get under my skin in all walks of life, it makes me more determined.”
Also Read: (Ashes 2017/18: Ian Bell Blasts Andrew Strauss for Demoralizing Players)