Will Jimmy Anderson play for England again?

[Lillian Thomson]

Two athletes in their 30s who were performing at close to their best level (if anything Anderson was probably the one performing closer to his relative peak level) only to have their summer curtailed by an untimely injury issue. Why assume one will come back considerably worse (from averaging 20.19 since 2017 began, to not being one of England's three best seamers) and not the other? Admittedly the comparison would work a bit better if it had happened to Federer, because he and Anderson are both late 30s not early, but the though process is the same.

Djokovic pulled out of a tournament with an injury yesterday. Anderson has had the last two months wiped out and still isn't fit. If Djokovic comes back and the injury reoccurs there will be speculation about his future even though he's five years younger. At the moment any comparison is a bit fat nothing.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Also all the tennis guys are doping as well.

 

[Daemon]

Also fast bowling is like, really really awful on your body. I don't know why we're ignoring all the evidence that quicks just aren't designed to last that long.

Nobody is saying Anderson won't be brilliant if he can bowl ftr.

 

[FBU]

Over his career

03 knee, ankle
04 heel
06 back
07 ankle
09 knee
11 side strain, hamstring
13 broken rib
14 knee
15 groin, side strain, calf
16 shoulder
17 groin
18 shoulder
19 calf

Missed 28 Tests from injury. I'd say another 12 Tests left.

Just seen this ....
This Ashes is the first series that counts towards the new World Test Championship, with every future series – bar England’s two Tests in New Zealand in November – counting towards the standings. The top two will then contest the inaugural final, expected to be at Lord’s, in the summer of 2021. Broad thinks that’s a target Anderson has in mind.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I think after his retirement against Wawrinka last night we should ask whether Novak Djokovic will ever make the quarters of a grand slam again. He's in his 30s and had an injury that had been bugging him for a couple of weeks before that, so using logic, it's probably best to assume he's now finished.

I know we're joking around but a 32 year old tennis player is a huge difference to a 37 year old fast bowler

 

[SteveNZ]

Not really, because relative ages is an important component in why the question gets asked.

Anyway, I hope he does play again. He deserves to go out at the time of his choosing. Been a great servant to English cricket.

100%. Sometimes the bogged down 'is he an ATG' thread matter takes away from how great Anderson has been and what he's offered to his country. And as a fan boy of swing bowling, I really haven't enjoyed watching any other bowler more in my adult life, and feel fortunate that I was at the ground for his debut and took a keen interest in him from thereon in.

 

[Burgey]

Over his career

03 knee, ankle
04 heel
06 back
07 ankle
09 knee
11 side strain, hamstring
13 broken rib
14 knee
15 groin, side strain, calf
16 shoulder
17 groin
18 shoulder
19 calf

Missed 28 Tests from injury. I'd say another 12 Tests left.

Just seen this ....
This Ashes is the first series that counts towards the new World Test Championship, with every future series – bar England’s two Tests in New Zealand in November – counting towards the standings. The top two will then contest the inaugural final, expected to be at Lord’s, in the summer of 2021. Broad thinks that’s a target Anderson has in mind.

Pretty bold assumption that England will even be in it, let alone either or both of those blokes. They have to come here in 20/21 and won't win a test, so they'll want to have plenty of points stored up before then.

 

[SteveNZ]

Pretty bold assumption that England will even be in it, let alone either or both of those blokes. They have to come here in 20/21 and won't win a test, so they'll want to have plenty of points stored up before then.

We'll belt them later this summer as well.

 

[FBU]

Pretty bold assumption that England will even be in it, let alone either or both of those blokes. They have to come here in 20/21 and won't win a test, so they'll want to have plenty of points stored up before then.

Don't think England will be in the final somehow with their flakey batting line up. Either India, South Africa or New Zealand. NZ have 3 batsmen in the top 10.

 

[_Ed_]

We'll belt them later this summer as well.

Doesn't count as part of the WTC, bizarrely.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Yes, if only to give him a farewell test on home soil.

 

[SteveNZ]

Doesn't count as part of the WTC, bizarrely.

Truly weird. Wonder why

 

[Cabinet96]

Also fast bowling is like, really really awful on your body. I don't know why we're ignoring all the evidence that quicks just aren't designed to last that long.

Nobody is saying Anderson won't be brilliant if he can bowl ftr.

Anderson has already proven to be an exceptional case when it comes to longevity and quality performances at an old age though. Of pace bowlers who have taken 75+ wickets aged 32 and over, only Barnes, Hadlee, McGrath, Ambrose and Bedser have a better average than Jimmy, and only Walsh and Hadlee have more wickets at that age. Tbh I kind of always used to think Anderson got a bit too much hype, but his longevity and quality in recent years (something I wasn't expecting at all) really forced me to realign my perception of where he stands in the pantheon of test bowlers. So for that reason I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt this time, and will wait for more than just one injury (I know it was a recurrence but let's face it, they tried to rush him back because it's the Ashes, they won't have to now) before assuming he's done.

 

[srbhkshk]

Crazy thread, Anderson is still England's best bowler at home.

 

[zaremba]

I'd say another 12 Tests left.

As it happens Richard Hadlee played 12 Tests after he reached Anderson's current age, averaging 21 with the ball.

 

[zaremba]

I'm sure he could keep going if he wanted to; it'll be a question of his motivation. He must've been desperate to return in these Ashes and it must have been a massive blow to have been unable to do that. So I was guessing he'd announce his retirement at the end of the series, but the point about the World Championship is interesting. Maybe that'll offer him the motivation to keep going. I hope so.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Crazy thread, Anderson is still England's best bowler at home.

Which has nothing to do with the actual speculation as to whether his ageing limbs will be up to the rigours of Test Cricket in the future.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

It seems like the intention is to play him on Boxing Day. If he’s genuinely fit and firing I’ll be very happy to be proved wrong. It’s going to be interesting to see if he can still do it, especially with the four Tests being in a bit of a heap.

 

[Prince EWS]

I didn't think he'd be dropped, nor did I think he should be. I was pessimistically expecting him to have setbacks in returning from the injury and then just retiring though, so I'm thrilled to seemingly be wrong.