England rose to the top by beating India 4-0 in August last year but face a test of their skills in the three series.
“We want to stay number one in the world,” said Anderson ahead of the first Test against Pakistan. “To do that, we’re going to have to win here and in Sri Lanka and then India at the end of the year.
“It’s going to be a tough ‘ask’ for us. But the best teams do win out here [in this part of the world],” said Anderson of England’s tour to Sri Lanka in March and India in October.
England warmed up by winning both the three-day tour games, beating the ICC Combined XI by three wickets before defeating the Pakistan Cricket Board XI by 100 runs.
The 29-year-old, who featured in the first side game, said the players realised the enormity of the task. “It’s going to be tough, especially for the seamers to help our spinners. But we hope we can chip away with wickets, but our main job is to dry up runs and we know how to get 20 wickets out here.”
Swann pitches two spinners’ case
Off-spinner Graeme Swann has advocated the idea of playing two slow bowlers after left-armer Monty Panesar staked claims for selection after eight wickets in the tour match.
“I’ve always advocated the use of two spinners and I love the rhythm and tempo the game takes,” said Swann. “You have all the men round the bat and with everyone in close you can make shot suggestions to the batsman that he might not otherwise do.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2012.
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