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brilliant from Bob Willis
Anderson is brilliant but too mouthy, says Willis
Simon Wilde
Last updated August 17 2014 12:01AM
Bob Willis fears a 'going-over' in next summer's Ashes (Ben Gurr)
Record-breaking bowler is set to overtake Sir Ian Botham's record, but he should cut out the swearing, says Willis
SOME time soon, if not in what remains of the Oval Test then in the Caribbean early next year, James Anderson will displace Sir Ian Botham as England’s all-time leading wicket-taker. Botham, on 383, led by five when play began yesterday.
The careers of these two bowlers — both, at their best, absolute masters of swing — followed opposite trajectories. Botham’s success mostly came in his early years before injuries took their toll; Anderson’s superb fitness enabled him to capitalise when he belatedly became a regular in the side.
As someone who frequently shared the new ball with Botham and who has watched many of Anderson’s matches as a Sky TV commentator, Bob Willis, who held the record for 18 months directly before Botham, is well placed to make comparisons.
“They are both fantastic bowlers in English conditions,” he said. “For me, Ian just shades it overseas. His performance in the Jubilee Test in Mumbai in 1980 was remarkable. Jimmy struggled more on sub-continental wickets. Ian bowled pretty well in Australia, not so good in the West Indies. Jimmy could look a little ordinary in Australia when he couldn’t get the Kookaburra to swing.
“It’s quite close on how they went in England. In his prime, Ian was probably quicker. Both displayed great natural away-swing with the new ball; probably Ian only latterly was involved with reverse-swing. In terms of disguising what he does with the ball, and late reverse-swing, Jimmy would be better. I can’t remember Ian hiding the ball as he ran up. No one then tried to keep one side dry and shine the other, or rough it up by throwing it into the turf. Bowlers have become more sophisticated. They have had to.”
Anderson was fortunate that by the time he had learnt all the tricks, he still hadthe physical capabilities to put them into practice. In 44 Tests up to late 2009, his 148 wickets cost 34.9 each; since then he has taken 228 at only 26.6 in 54 matches. In his first 54 Tests, Botham claimed 249 wickets at 23.3; latterly his average in 48 games ballooned to 37.8.
Willis is less impressed by Anderson’s need to engage verbally with opponents. It was not unknown for Botham to indulge in sledging but for Anderson it seems to be more calculating and less friendly.
“I don’t understand why sledging would upset any professional cricketer but clearly it does,” said Willis. “In Jimmy’s case it might be like Glenn McGrath, where chuntering seemed to motivate him, but he’s taken it too far. I just don’t see the point of swearing at the opposition.”
Regarding England’s long-term future, Willis is concerned about the back-up bowling to Anderson and Stuart Broad. “I don’t see Chris Woakes as the answer and Chris Jordan has to improve a lot. He needs to learn quickly about wrist position and not gripping the ball too tightly. That’s a common fault with bowlers when they get tense.”
Another worry, plainly, is a collective fragility among the batsmen against the short ball. This was first highlighted during the winter’s rout Down Under and little has happened since to suggest things have improved. Willis expects Australia to plan accordingly next summer.
“English players don’t face short-pitched bowling in domestic first-class cricket. Now that there aren’t any overseas quick bowlers in county championship cricket, there are precious few bouncers bowled. It’s not just happy hookers like Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad — I’m not confident about the way Joe Root or Moeen Ali play the short ball.
“I expect the Australians to replace Peter Siddle with one of their young quicks and if they can keep Ryan Harris and Mitchell Johnson fit, they will give England a severe going- over.”
Willis has a reputation as one of cricket’s most trenchant commentators. Among the many angry bees in his bonnet is the subject of illegal bowling actions, once taboo but now under the spotlight of the ICC’s umpires and administrators. Saeed Ajmal last week became the most high profile of several international bowlers to have his action reported.
“I’m pleased,” Willis said. “I admire and agree with almost everything that Michael Atherton says but his encouragement of unorthodox bowling actions is not to be encouraged. You can usually tell with the naked eye whether someone has a dodgy action and anybody who bowls with his sleeves rolled down is, to me, trying to hide something.
“If [ICC umpire] Ian Gould is leading a charge, good on him. Every doosra that is bowled is illegal and it should be banned. As players, when it was raining and we were confined to the dressing-room, we used to while away time flicking the ball out of the front of the hand, a la the doosra, and we all thought we were throwing it. Nothing seems to have changed.”
The Oval Test match is the 200th broadcast live by Sky Sports TV since it first covered England on the West Indies tour of 1990
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