JIMMY ANDERSON will be asked to reveal some of his secrets… by the best bowler in the world.
Anderson’s ability to swing the ball and incredible longevity — he is playing his 167th Test more than 18 years after his debut — have caught the eye of Pat Cummins.
And new Aussie skipper Cummins, the world’s No 1 ranked bowler in Test cricket, is determined to have a private tutorial before the end of The Ashes series.
Cummins, 28, admitted: “I haven’t really picked his brains about bowling yet but I would love to.
“Jimmy is just fantastic — more than 150 Test matches and the leading wicket-taker for England.
“The longevity is really impressive. You get niggles and injuries as a fast bowler and he’s been at it non-stop for nearly two decades.
“It just shows it’s possible to be bowling into your late 30s and still be at the top of your game. He brings experience and class to their side and is always a challenge.”
As he has become older, Anderson, now 39, is more and more happy to share his knowledge and help the next generation of quick bowlers.
Normally, that is England performers such as Ollie Robinson, who has been so impressive in Test cricket since his debut last summer.
Anderson can mentor on the field or behind the scenes when he is not playing, like after he was omitted from the First Test defeat in Brisbane.
He explained: “I guess my job as a senior player is to try to help as much as I can, whether I’m playing or not.
“It’s been difficult on this tour because of the lack of preparation before the Tests started. So every bit of knowledge we can pass on to guys who have not played here before is crucial.
“Myself, Stuart Broad, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler — the guys with experience — that’s what we’ve been trying to do.
“So someone like Ollie is a quality bowler. He’s been really impressive, not just in the games he’s played but when he’s been around the group in the last year or so.
“He has a great amount of skill — he’s accurate and can swing a ball, which is pretty much all you need. His bowling is suited to any conditions.
“It’s nice to hear the Australians saying nice things about me but I’m sure they’re not going to be saying too many nice things this week!”
Anderson accepts he will not play in every Test these days as England continue to rest and rotate bowlers in these Covid times. He will maybe play three matches out of five in this series.
He explained: “It’s always frustrating to miss out on playing in a Test — but it’s about the bigger picture.
“We have five Tests in fairly quick succession and we are just trying to keep the guys fresh.
“It’s something I’ve got used to but, when the captain wants me, I try to be ready.”
Durham speedster Mark Wood took his turn to be rested for the Second Test.
He bowled regularly at more than 90mph in the First Test in Brisbane and some of the Aussie batsmen did not fancy his pace.
Captain Joe Root explained: “With four Tests in four weeks, it’s important we keep our bowling group fresh.
“Mark will play a pivotal role in this series, so we have to ensure that he is fresh and able to perform at his fullest capability.”
