Former England left-arm spinner Monty Panesar heaped praise on veteran pacer James Anderson for his performance with the ball in the third Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Even at the age of 39, Anderson showed no signs of slowing down, picking 4 crucial wickets to help England restrict Australia to 267 in their first innings in the third Test of the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne.
However, Anderson’s performance went in vain, as England were bowled out for just 68 in the second innings in addition to the 185 they made in the first do and suffered an innings and 14-run defeat in the Boxing Day Test on Tuesday, December 28.
Hailing Anderson, Panesar compared the legendary English bowler to the football great Cristiano Ronaldo and tennis legend Novak Djokovic.
Notably, Anderson currently has 639 Test wickets, including 31 fifers and three 10-wicket hauls, to his name so far.
With the big defeat, England went 3-0 down in the ongoing five-match Test series, losing the Ashes series to Australia with the final two Tests scheduled on January 5 and 14 in Sydney and Hobart respectively, and Panesar said it was the result of tourists’ poor selection errors and decisions.
Panesar told Sky Sports, “James Anderson was just magnificent. His performances are really up there with great sportsmen right now like Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, (Novak) Djokovic with the tennis. That was a brilliant bowling performance.
We probably won't see again another England bowler like that. I thought England had probably their best bowling performance of the series so far.”
Analyzing the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, the former England spinner noted: “Let's be honest, this Australia team isn't that strong compared to England. England has just made some poor selection errors and decisions throughout the series.”
Notably, England has now lost the Ashes series and the series now moves to Sydney for the fourth Ashes Test against Australia, starting on January 5, 2022.
