Cricket: Frugal Anderson
Lancashire 323 Somerset 193-7: James Anderson failed to impress but did enough to ensure that Lancashire had the advantage in their opening match of the Championship season.
The obligatory cry of "wintered well?" rings around every county ground in April but it can be assumed that James Anderson has been spared the pleasantries. He wintered around England's tour of South Africa as disoriented as a dormouse in a warm snap, yearning for more plentiful times.
Perhaps happier times have arrived. One hard-earned Somerset wicket in 16 overs was hardly the stuff of fantasy but after a largely inactive year with England and a sudden call-up for the Jo'burg Test that verged on cruelty, he no longer trips the light fantastic.
Anderson needs bowling, and, if that means he spends the summer at Lancashire and takes no part in the Ashes series, then so be it. His solid new-ball spell - 11 runs conceded in as many overs and Simon Francis caught at the wicket - told of his determination. Troy Cooley, England's bowling coach, was present to study his opening spell. "That'll do," he said. "He hit the crease pretty well."
What Anderson most needs is a sense of perspective. He is 22, with little residual experience when his outswinger deserts him. It barely swung yesterday but he still went 26 balls before he conceded a run.
The old Anderson would have charmed a wicket first ball; the new Anderson saw Matthew Wood jab his bat down in time. The old Anderson would have watched in delight as Marcus Trescothick played on; the new Anderson saw the ball roll wide of the stumps. But forget all that, it was not a bad day's work.
Sharing Lancashire's attack were two bowlers who know a bit about fame. Dominic Cork took a hat-trick against West Indies on this ground 10 years ago but never quite passed muster. Yesterday he was as ebullient as ever, thrashing 65 in a stand with Sajid Mahmood and then tricking Trescothick out at second slip. Kyle Hogg was Lancashire's England hopeful at the start of 2002 but injury and illness followed and that winter it was Anderson who went to Australia.
Afterwards he said: "Just being out there was great. Playing cricket is my job and I've not experienced much of it lately."
Perhaps happier times have arrived. One hard-earned Somerset wicket in 16 overs was hardly the stuff of fantasy but after a largely inactive year with England and a sudden call-up for the Jo'burg Test that verged on cruelty, he no longer trips the light fantastic.
Anderson needs bowling, and, if that means he spends the summer at Lancashire and takes no part in the Ashes series, then so be it. His solid new-ball spell - 11 runs conceded in as many overs and Simon Francis caught at the wicket - told of his determination. Troy Cooley, England's bowling coach, was present to study his opening spell. "That'll do," he said. "He hit the crease pretty well."
What Anderson most needs is a sense of perspective. He is 22, with little residual experience when his outswinger deserts him. It barely swung yesterday but he still went 26 balls before he conceded a run.
The old Anderson would have charmed a wicket first ball; the new Anderson saw Matthew Wood jab his bat down in time. The old Anderson would have watched in delight as Marcus Trescothick played on; the new Anderson saw the ball roll wide of the stumps. But forget all that, it was not a bad day's work.
Sharing Lancashire's attack were two bowlers who know a bit about fame. Dominic Cork took a hat-trick against West Indies on this ground 10 years ago but never quite passed muster. Yesterday he was as ebullient as ever, thrashing 65 in a stand with Sajid Mahmood and then tricking Trescothick out at second slip. Kyle Hogg was Lancashire's England hopeful at the start of 2002 but injury and illness followed and that winter it was Anderson who went to Australia.
Afterwards he said: "Just being out there was great. Playing cricket is my job and I've not experienced much of it lately."
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