ADELAIDE, (Reuters) – Pace bowler James Anderson finally found his footing on Australian soil with a spellbinding display of pace and movement to put England in charge of the second Ashes test yesterday.
After being hit all over the place on the last Ashes tour four years ago, many questioned whether a bowler who relied on swing as much as Anderson does would ever be truly effective on Australian tracks.
The 28-year-old partly answered the question with some fiery spells in the first test in Brisbane but on a remarkable first day of the second test in Adelaide, the wickets finally fell and the hosts were skittled out for 245 on a batsman-friendly strip.
“I’m a much different bowler to the one who came out here four years ago,” the quietly-spoken Lancastrian told reporters after taking 4-51.
“I think I’m much more experienced and I’ve gradually got better over the last few years, so it’s nice to bowl well out here but I didn’t think I had anything to prove.”