Summer triumph for Anderson

England bowler has best season yet despite series defeat

By Rebecca Syrocki   Last updated: 13th August 2008

James Anderson England South Africa 4th Test Brit Oval

Anderson: Best season yet

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Despite losing the Test series to South Africa this summer has been a personal triumph for England's James Anderson.

The 26-year-olds current run of nine matches is his longest stretch in the team and he features in all seven Tests in a summer for the first time in his career.

The Lancashire pace bowler finished the season as England's most prolific bowler and needs only eight more victims in two matches in India this winter to clock up 50 Test wickets in a calendar year.

Anderson said: "I have really enjoyed this summer: the ball has been coming out beautifully, the speeds have stayed reasonably high and I have been taking wickets pretty consistently.

"Milestones are lovely when they come along but my main target is to keep my place in the team.

"If I am taking wickets then they cannot leave me out, that is how I have looked at it."

Confidence

Anderson revealed his delight with the way he has bounced back after making a poor start to the season prior to the Lord's Test against New Zealand at the start of the summer.

"Confidence is a major part in anyone's game," Anderson said.

"In the past I have doubted myself. But I now know I'm a good bowler who can perform at this level; I have just been telling myself how good I am.

"I can think of a couple of times I have struggled a little bit, during the first innings against New Zealand at Old Trafford.

"Apart from that I can't think of any time that I have felt like I have not bowled well or been in the game."

The England bowler has been troubled, like most internationals, with injury throughout his career, most distinctively a stress fracture of the back in 2006.

Yet his self confidence has increased after playing all seven matches and he believes he can ward off the claims of Ryan Sidebottom and Simon Jones.

"It has also given me confidence that I have maintained my fitness, which has helped keep my speeds up," he said.

"We still have Sid to come back and Simon Jones is knocking hard on the door, which is a good position to be in."