James Anderson Credits Ottis Gibson for his Dream Edgbaston Ashes Spell
With figures of six for 47, James Anderson toppled the Australians on the first day of the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
James Anderson bowled 277 deliveries without any success at Lord's. Not only did he not pick a wicket, he ended up with figures of 0/137. Those figures are enough to shake the confidence of any bowler. Anderson was no different. (Anderson Sets Edgbaston on Fire)
"After getting no wickets the confidence takes a bit of a hit", said the Lancashire paceman. However, world-class bowlers learn from their mistakes and bounce back harder.
James Anderson did, with a bit of West Indian help. (Rogers Laments Australia's Lack of Fight)
With figures of six for 47, the English seamer toppled the Australians on the first day of the third Test at Edgbaston. He broke the back of the Aussie batting and left them reeling.
"We thought it looked a good pitch, we were not expecting anywhere near the amount of seam movement early on. It was fortunate for us and the conditions we had throughout the day, with a bit of rain around, played into our hands," Anderson said after Day 1.
It was a cloudy day at Edgbaston and Michael Clarke played it into Anderson's hand by opting to bat first. Anderson took advantage of the conditions and notched up his fourth five-wicket haul in an Ashes Test.
It was his 18th five-wicket haul in Tests, the third-most by an English bowler after Ian Botham (27) and Sydney Barnes (24). After this feat, Anderson overtook Graeme Swann, Fred Trueman and Derek Underwood, who have 17 five-fors to their name.
Anderson though, gives all the credit to the bowling coach Ottis Gibson.
"It was good to do some work with him and get some rewards out on the field. It was technical stuff -- he thought I was just putting the ball there during the Lord's game so I've worked on finishing my action a bit more."
Australia were skittled out within 37 overs in the first innings and it was the sixth time since 1990 that the Aussies have been bowled out for 150 runs or less during an Ashes Test in England. Interestingly, three out of those six instances have been at Edgbaston.
James Anderson has swung the momentum of the series in the favour of the English. Can the batsmen stand up to the Aussie challenge? All in all, the Edgbaston Test might just be the series decider.