BIRMINGHAM, England, (Reuters) – The decision to rest James Anderson for England’s third test against West Indies was sensible and should ensure the fast bowler is fresh for the rest of the summer, captain Andrew Strauss said yesterday.
England’s highest-ranked bowler Anderson, number three in the world, wanted to play at Edgbaston today when the side bid to sweep the series 3-0 but team management took the view that, with the series won, he should sit the match out.
“Jimmy has missed out and with good reason,” Strauss told reporters. “It’s a tough thing for any player not to play in a test but with this schedule as it is, you have to manage your resources cleverly.
“This is one of those occasions when an opportunity has presented itself and we all think it’s prudent we take the opportunity with Jimmy and hopefully that will allow him to be fresh for the rest of the summer and beyond.
“The idea of rotating and resting is that they end up playing more, not less,” Strauss added.
“The last thing you want is for someone to be playing to the extent that they’re dead on their feet and get injured and are out for months. That’s what we’re trying to avoid.”
