Ashes 2017: Pace has been overplayed with, feels James Anderson

James Anderson was struck on the helmet by a Pat Cummins delivery in the Perth Test.

James Anderson | Getty Images

Veteran England pacer James Anderson doesn’t believe that pace has actually led them to be outplayed in the Ashes 2017-18. Although, the fast bowler questioned Australia’s strength in express pace.

So far in the series, we saw the England pacers have struggled to consistently break the 140km/h barrier, while the Australian pacers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have gone close to jolting 150km/h during the series, which has eventually surprised Johnson. 

After seeing this, many pundits and cricket legends from England and Australia have suggested that the pace gulf has played a key role in Australia’s Ashes victory against England, but Anderson doesn’t agree with it, saying they haven’t necessarily got out to the good balls.

Anderson told a BBC podcast, “It’s not necessarily the pace but where the ball is and the plans they’ve had have worked well. Even me as a No. 11, you get used to that pace. I honestly don’t think the pace has actually caused us any issues. If you look at our dismissals, we sometimes haven’t necessarily got out to the good balls.”

Commenting on Australia’s attack so far in the ongoing Ashes series, the England pacer said, “They’ve had three bowlers who all can bowl 90 miles an hour and they’ve stayed fit for three games, but you look beyond that and they’ve got problems. (James) Pattinson’s injured. (Nathan) Coulter-Nile is injured. They haven’t got much other than these three.”

The Boxing Day Ashes Test between Australia and England set to be played on December 26 in Melbourne.

 

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 22 Dec, 2017

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