Anderson King of The Swinging Ball, England’s VIP
He’s the King of the swinging ball, England’s VIP; he’s reached the top and just can’t stop and that’s what bothering teams. Be it conventional or reverse swing, Jimmy Anderson has the skill and control to trouble any batsman in world cricket with devilishly late swing and imperious line and length. His country’s leader of the attack, ‘go-to’ man and third on England’s list of Test wicket takers, Anderson has already etched his name in cricketing history as one of England’s, and the World’s, finest swing bowlers. Frequently he pulls England’s faltering batsman out of trouble with sumptuous spells of sideways movement, ripping through the opposition’s top and middle order with barely a drop of sweat on his forehead or a solitary run on the board.
His wrist position upon delivery is exceptional. Minute, invisible differences in his action between the inswinging and outswinging deliveries make him almost impossible to read and impervious to play. This ability to move the ball as if he has it on a string without the batsman knowing which way it will go, gives Jimmy the ability to work over and set up batsman by putting doubt in his mind, a fishing rod in his hand and treacle on the soles of his feet.
Anderson’s skill is also largely down to his ability remain match fit and strong. He has been able to stay in the side , injury free, keeping him in rhythm and in form for long periods. Where bowlers around him have stepped in and out of the team, his capacity to bowl ball after ball, over after over, day after day, year after year, has been nothing short of miraculous. Some may say luck, but it is years of physical conditioning work that has given Jimmy this capability. Even on toiling days in high temperatures in batting paradise, Anderson will keep going and keep taking wickets for his side.
Critics of Jimmy Anderson will argue his record away from his home conditions is average at best and without swing he adds little to the side. But recent performances on tours in Australia and the sub-continent have shown Anderson can still cause batsman a lot of trouble; that he does not need home comforts or swinging conditions to take wickets – though it helps…a lot. Just look at his stats against the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Michael Clarke showing how well he can bowl in notoriously difficult places for traditional swing bowlers to apply there trade.
Jimmy Anderson, keep doing what you are doing because you do it so well. You are one of England’s finest of all time, and you will have undoubtedly inspired a new generation of young swing bowlers in England. You’re the King of the swinging ball, England’s VIP; they want to be like you, they want to walk like you, talk like you too.
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