"Like When You See A Girl At A Club": When James Anderson Bowled To Marnus Labuschagne

James Anderson missed most of the 2019 Ashes due to injury. The 2019 Ashes was also when Marnus Labuschagne, coming into the Australian team as a concussion substitute for Steve Smith, made his mark in international cricket and sealed his place in the team. Labuschagne has gone on to become one of the most prolific batsmen in Test cricket since, but Anderson is yet to bowl to him in the international arena. However, the two came face to face in the County Championship, when Lancashire took on Glamorgan.

With the Ashes series in Australia slated for the end of the year, the battle between them was an early prelude, and Anderson was the one who came out on top, dismissing the Australian batsman caught behind.

Anderson bowled a brilliant probing delivery that drew the edge from Marnus Labuschagne's bat for an easy catch behind the stumps.

WICKET WATCH @jimmy9 finds the perfect line and an edge to dismiss Marnus Labuschagne for 12. That's wicket #990 @GlamCricket 82-2 #LANvGLA pic.twitter.com/sN94gsmMvu

— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) May 6, 2021

"You want to create a good impression and stamp your authority on that battle," Anderson told BBC Podcast 'Tailenders'. "It's nice to get the first blow in."

Anderson compared bowling to Labuschagne to impressing a girl at a club.

"I'd never bowled at him before," said Anderson. 

"It's like when you see a girl at a club and you try to play it cool. You want her to be impressed. You start dancing to the Stone Roses while your shoes stick to the floor," the veteran seamer quipped.

The 38-year-old Anderson, who is the highest-wicket taker among fast bowlers in Test cricket, is set to play in his fifth Ashes series come December.

Topics mentioned in this article

England Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team James Anderson Marnus Labuschagne Cricket