Jimmy Anderson was an impressive spearhead for bowlers who consistently gave Sri Lanka's batsmen problems ? with the exception of Mahela Jayawardene
Two Lancastrians now share fifth place in the list of English wicket-takers. Brian Statham and Jimmy Anderson sit together on 252 ? though not for very long since we expect Anderson to take many more.
They share more than a Lancastrian background. Both have been beloved of captains, always trying their socks off, never complaining ? at least not loudly ? about their lot; both have charmed by being soft-spoken and salt of the earth, content to dip away from the limelight.
But there are differences too. Statham, we have been reliably informed, refuelled on ale and fags at the end of a strenuous day. Anderson, we can be sure, was not doing that last night. He is of the modern breed, a quiet devotee of the rigorous fitness regime to which the players now adhere.
Statham, double-jointed and whippy, generally slid the ball into right-handers at a pace faster than Anderson. He aimed for those stumps. "If you miss, I hit" was the simple philosophy. Anderson, we know, can swing the ball either way. His out-swinger to the right-handed batsman can be a thing of beauty, reminiscent ? when he is at his best ? of Richard Hadlee.
But in Galle he went in the opposite direction for his wickets ? just a hint of swing against the left-handers, Lahiru Thirimanne and Kumar Sangakkara, with the new ball and a glimmer of reverse swing when it was older to dismiss Prasanna Jayawardene, three precious victims. Anderson is now wise enough to bowl full enough to allow the ball to move.
These conditions of infernal heat and dust no longer intimidate him. It seems that, in a masochistic sort of way, he is almost starting to revel in the heat and the absence of any green grass.
Anderson led the attack with distinction. It was an attack which tormented all of the Sri Lankans, with the glorious exception of Mahela Jayawardene, who played one of the great Test innings. Yet its greatness was not so obvious because it all seemed so incredibly simple for the Sri Lanka captain.
It was only when we noticed what was happening at the other end that the monumental nature of Jayawardene's efforts became apparent. Even when he offered catches as he opened his shoulders late in the day he was adroit enough to send them in the direction of Monty Panesar, whose attempts to cling on to the ball sunk to the depths of his early days in the England team.
England anointed a new Test cricketer for the first time since 20 March 2010 when James Tredwell played in Bangladesh. Tredwell is in Sri Lanka but is likely to remain a one-Test wonder. The prospects for Samit Patel are better. Glory be, he was the only England spinner to take a wicket yesterday, no matter how long Panesar and Graeme Swann toiled.
Perhaps the Sri Lankans underestimated Patel, becoming too ambitious when he had the ball in his hand. Both Dinesh Chandimal and Ranjan Herath heaved away and we can only wonder what Jayawardene was thinking at the non-strikers' end. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankans seemed to give Panesar due respect, much less so Swann.
Indeed the logic of the selectors' thinking in picking Patel rather than the non-bowling Ravi Bopara became apparent. The Sri Lankans, for all their smiles, can be coldly ruthless and yesterday they honed in on Swann, whom they sense is struggling. England needed Patel in the side because at the moment they can no longer guarantee how many overs Swann can be permitted to bowl.
Even so Strauss gave Swann a surprising number of overs on a day when the off-spinner was tormented by Jayawardene, who is a smiling assassin when it comes to dealing with this type of bowling. Effortlessly Jayawardene clears the infield early on; deterrents have to be dispatched to the outfield and so he glides singles. Even if Swann bowls well he will leak runs in these circumstances.
Yesterday he was not at his best; he was cut through the off side too frequently and became frustrated. There was no question that England needed an additional bowler. And when Jayawardene was on strike they needed more fielders as well.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/mar/26/jimmy-anderson-england-sri-lanka
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