England pacer, James Anderson threatens retirement if similar pitches persist in the ongoing Ashes series
Venting his frustration about the lifeless pitch in the opening match of the Ashes, experienced England fast bowler James Anderson declares that he will quit if similar tracks are prepared for the rest of the series.
Prior to the series, England captain Ben Stokes expressed a desire for rapid and even pitches to assist their aggressive brand of cricket.
Nevertheless, Anderson described the uneventful Edgbaston surface as "my ultimate weakness."
"If all the pitches are like that I'm done in the Ashes series. That pitch was like kryptonite for me. There was not much swing, no reverse swing, no seam movement, no bounce and no pace."
"I've tried over the years to hone my skills so I can bowl in any conditions but everything I tried made no difference. I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle," Anderson wrote in his column for 'The Telegraph'.
Anderson only managed to take one wicket in the first Test as English lost the match by two-wickets.
"It's a long series and hopefully I can contribute at some point, but if all the pitches are like that I'm done in the Ashes series."
Anderson and Stuart Broad have played crucial roles for England, taking wickets even on unresponsive pitches.
Anderson admitted that he fell short of his own expectations, and he also disclosed the reason behind not being given the second new ball in the latter stages of the final day.
"I know I wasn't on top of my game this week. It was not my best performance. I know I have more to offer and contribute to the team.I want to make up for it at Lord's and all I can do is turn up on Sunday and prepare to play.
"I didn't take the new ball in the first innings or late on the final day. I had a chat with Ben Stokes about how I felt. We agreed it was the type of pitch the taller bowlers were getting more out of. I was completely on board with that."
Anderson stood up for his teammate Ollie Robinson, who engaged in a heated verbal confrontation with Australian opener Usman Khawaja.
Robinson has faced significant backlash for his profanity-laced sendoff directed at Khawaja.
Also Read: Ashes 2023: Hayden and Healy dismiss Ollie Robinson as a 'Forgettable Cricketer'
"Ollie did nothing wrong when he had his moment with Khawaja. In fact, I stood at mid-off for most of the game and didn't hear anything said by either team that was unacceptable," Anderson wrote.
"I don't want Ollie to change. I like him getting fired up. He bowls better when he is in that mood. From personal experience, I know I bowl better when I am a bit more aggressive and intense.
"It has revved up a few former Australia cricketers who have had a bit to say in the media. That's OK. I'm sure I will be doing that as an ex-player.
"You have to keep your name in the papers and keep getting a job. It is to be expected. More and more people will come out of the woodwork with that kind of stuff as the series goes on."
