Cricket: Angry Anderson out of West Indies finale

Board announces squad for third Test; fast-bowler insists he is fit to play.

LONDON: England left James Anderson out of the 12-man squad for the final Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston starting on Thursday but the fast-bowler insisted he was fit to play.

The England selectors said the 29-year-old Lancashire star was being omitted to ‘overcome several minor injury niggles’ rather than being rested on grounds of squad rotation.

However, in a move that could cause a rift between the England hierarchy and their leading bowler, Anderson himself said he was fit to play.

Anderson, in his column for the Mail on Sunday, published before the squad was made public, said, “It would be extremely disappointing for me to miss out.

“It would be different if I felt fatigued or was struggling with an injury. But I believe I am fit to play — and while I am fit I want to play in every England game I can.

“Resting players is going to happen more and more as the schedule gets busier and the board has been excellent at monitoring players. Sure, this series has been hard work. But five days of rest is more than enough to be ready to play again.”

Seamers Steven Finn and Graham Onions will compete to fill the place left vacant by Anderson’s absence.

However, England could play both bowlers were they to rest Anderson’s regular new-ball partner and Twenty20 captain Stuart Broad.

An England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) statement said Anderson had received treatment during the second Test for a minor quad problem.

It added that missing the final Test would give Anderson, whose tally of 267 wickets in 70 matches leaves him fifth in the list of England’s most successful Test bowlers, time to overcome ‘several minor injuries’.

“Anderson will miss this Investec Test as we look to manage his workload ahead of a busy period, a decision which is in the best interests of the team and James himself,” said Miller.

Meanwhile Yorkshire batsman Jonathan Bairstow, two matches into his Test career, retained his place for Edgbaston despite struggling against the short ball at Trent Bridge.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2012.