Rib fracture makes Anderson’s presence in the Ashes opener doubtful
English paceman James Anderson raises serious doubts over his presence in the Ashes opener at Gabba next month after the fast bowler has broken a rib during England’s recent boot camp.
England team played a tally of 22 fixtures against three nations this summer - including http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 - winning 16 of those. Despite of losing six matches to various sides, Strauss’s men have won all the series – Test, ODI and T20.
The side left for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Germany-c2904 soon after the conclusion of the five-match ODI series against Pakistan where the series participated in a five-day bonding camp. Some of the drills in Germany included boxing sessions between the English cricketers and abseiling.
Sources have revealed that the fast bowler suffered a heavy blow to the ribs during a boxing session and sustained a fracture. The fracture, which could take a recovery period of two months, would rule Anderson out of the three tour games ahead of Ashes and
two of the five Tests against Australia. The development could be a serious blow to tourists’ hopes of defeating Australia in Australia for the first time after more than two decades. Earlier the English men had won the series in Australia in 1987.
Anderson had a successful summer and was the leading wicket-taker of England in the four-match Test series against turbulent Pakistan side picking up 23 wickets at a promising bowling average of 13.73. The English pacer had appeared
to make an indisputable progress under new bowling coach of England David Saker and has impressed the selectors as well as his fans with a new-found control over his line and length.
Many former cricketers of England had criticised Germany as they felt the players needed a rest after a triumphant yet exhaustive summer, but the ECB management insisted the tour should go ahead.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ajmal-Shahzad-c42489 is likely to be called into the 16-man squad if the rib fracture rules Anderson out of all or some of the Ashes fixtures. Shahzad, though, left out of the original Ashes squad was due to fly to Australia to play in the
three tour games ahead of the crucial Ashes series that kicks off on 25th of November.
Chris Tremlett, who last played for national side in 2007 and was named in the original squad, would be another option for England as Anderson’s replacement but his tall hit-the-pitch approach, more or less, similar to Steven Finn and Stuart Broad, might
propel the selectors to favour Ajmal over him.
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