Agency :
James Anderson insisted he has “made peace” with his surprise omission from England’s ongoing Test series in the West Indies and is fully focused on the forthcoming county campaign.
Anderson and Stuart Broad, No. 1 and No. 2 respectively on England’s all-time list of leading Test wicket-takers with a combined 1,177 dismissals, were controversially left out of the touring squad to the Caribbean.
While Anderson admitted last month he was initially in “shock” and felt “frustration and anger” at being overlooked as part of a much-hyped red-ball reset, the 39-year-old is now looking ahead.
The Lancastrian did concede not being part of a new-look set-up was still a bit hard to stomach, with England drawing in Antigua and Barbados and lacking a cutting edge with the ball in both matches.
“When you’re hearing how things are going and not being a part of this rebuild is a little bit tough,” Anderson, who has taken 640 wickets in 169 Tests, told BBC Radio 5 Live. “But I made peace with the decision weeks ago, it’s completely out of my control.
“What I can do now is just get myself ready for the county season and try and show people what I can do. I feel in a good place physically and mentally as well. I’m just looking forward to playing some cricket for Lancashire.”
As Anderson readies himself for this season’s LV= Insurance County Championship, which starts next month, England go to Grenada for the final Test this week hoping for a change in fortunes, with their seam attack in particular blunted by desperately unresponsive surfaces.
Anderson’s Lancashire team-mate Saqib Mahmood briefly gave England some encouragement in Barbados with a double breakthrough on the final day, however, finishing with match figures of 4-79 on his Test debut.
“It will do wonders for him, that’s an amazing return on that pitch where we saw all other seam bowlers struggle,” Anderson said. “To perform like that in your first game, especially in that second innings, it did give England a little bit of a sniff.
“His chest will be out after that game. It would have been hard work for him on that pitch this week and Test cricket will only get easier as his career develops.
“He’s not a Jofra [Archer], he’s not a Mark Wood, he’s not a 95mph bowler. I feel like he’s going to consistently hit 85mph and be pretty accurate.”
