Fast bowler James Anderson is available for selection for England‘s Test series against Sri Lanka next month.
Anderson missed half of the recent four-Test series against South Africa due to a rib injury. His availability for the tour of Sri Lanka is particularly important for England, after fast bowler Jofra Archer was sidelined by an elbow injury.
England are currently contesting a three-ODI series against South Africa. England are priced at 2.37 by bet365 to win the second ODI at Kingsmead in Durban.
“It's all healed, I've been training for a few weeks now, getting my bowling back up to speed and I feel really good,” he told Sky Sports.
“It was frustrating when it happened, it was a bit of a freak incident, but thankfully now it's all healed and I feel much better.
“That's the aim, to try and get fit for whatever's next – at the moment that's Sri Lanka. It's hard to prove your fitness in the indoor school at Old Trafford. With a broken bone, you're waiting for that to heal. I've not lost any fitness, it's just about building my bowling back up now, still got a month before that tour, so we'll just have to wait and see what the selectors think.”
Anderson before rib injury
The veteran Anderson took seven wickets in early January's second Test at Newlands in Cape Town, where England won. They eventually won the series three-one, after South Africa's defeats in Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg, too. The Proteas had won the series opener in Centurion.
“I felt like in Cape Town I hit my straps. I was bowling as well as I ever had, feeling in as good a conditions as I ever have. Even when you've been after playing for all these years it's still nice to know you've got something to offer and being able to get five wickets away from home was special,” added Anderson.
“I felt like I was in really good rhythm, strong and as quick as I have been for a long time. I've lengthened my run up a bit, to help with my calf issues. I've kept the same mark but gone about five or six seven yards back, and that allows me to gradually build up momentum rather than trying to set off too quick. Similar to what Mark Wood did, and that seems to have helped me get into rhythm much better.”
