- Mar 4, 2024
- Feb 23, 2024
James Anderson has come out in support of his bowling partner Stuart Broad after he was taken to the cleaners by the Indian stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah launched an all-out attack against Broad in 84th over of the Indian innings on Day 2 of the ongoing fifth Test. He smashed 4 fours and 2 sixes as Broad was at the receiving end of his outrageous batting.
The England seamer made matters worse for himself by bowling a wide bouncer that went over the keeper’s head for 4 byes and a no-ball that was hooked away for a six by Bumrah. The over costed 35 runs to England, breaking the previous world record for the most expensive over in Test cricket.
England veteran James Anderson came out in support of his bowling partner and said that he was a bit unlucky as any other day some of the top edges could’ve gone straight to the fielder.
“Yeah, [it is] just one of those things,” Anderson said at stumps. “On another day one of those top edges goes straight to hand. If that gets taken nobody talks about the over.”
“I thought it was pretty unlucky. There’s plenty of top edges, a couple of good shots but that’s the plan Ben [Stokes] wanted Broady to go with. Broady stuck to it and on another day when the luck was with Stuart an edge probably would have gone to hand,” Anderson added.
Anderson, who also took a five-wicket haul in the innings, further stated that it gets tricky to bowl to tail-enders at times.
“Sometimes it can be easier to bowl at top-order bats to be honest,” he said. “I do remember a few balls to Siraj: he tried to hit two out of the ground and the next one played a perfect forward defence. It can be tricky to get into a rhythm against them. You’ve just got to try and back yourself that your best ball will get them out eventually,” the 39-year-old said.