James Anderson had the first Ashes Test in Australia well off his radar as he spent six weeks in a corset to cradle a stress fracture of the back last English summer.
Now the Lancashire paceman is on target to play against the Australians in the opening Ashes Test in Brisbane next week after a strong bowling performance in the drawn three-day tour match against New South Wales, which finished on Tuesday.
Anderson (24) has been given the nod by Test coach Duncan Fletcher that he will get the fourth pace bowling spot behind Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff for the November 23 first Test at the expense of Sajid Mahmood.
Anderson claimed five match wickets (2-45 and 3-40) off a total of 25 overs to press his claims to attack the Australians at the Gabba.
”When I was in the corset I couldn’t even think of when my next game of cricket was going to be,” Anderson said after Tuesday’s play.
”But I got through that and my rehab and I’m glad to be here.
”When anyone’s had a serious injury like that it’s going to be in the back of your head and the first couple of times I bowled it was in the back of my mind,” he said.
”But once I bowled more the confidence grew, so I forgot about it.”
Anderson said the New South Wales tour game had been a big step for him in his fightback to full confidence.
”I spent nearly two days in the field and I bowled 25 overs, so it’s a massive step towards my [Test] selection,” he said.
”It was a slow wicket, but lucky for me it swung in the first innings and then reverse [swung] in the second, so there was always something there for the bowlers.”
Anderson’s first seven overs went for 39 runs in the first innings, but his second spell was considerably better with 2-6 off eight overs.
”The change of ends did a pretty good job for me,” he said. ”The far end was tricky with the wind in my face, but the other end it was lot easier with the wind.
”I’ve only played 13 Tests [41 wickets] and I’m confident in what I can do and I’m sure most of the team know what I can do.” — Sapa-AFP