Alastair Cook wants to avoid further Jimmy Anderson injury
Sunday 3 January 2016 14:32, UK
Alastair Cook says it will be a tough call whether to bring Jimmy Anderson back into the England side for the second Test with South Africa.
Anderson missed England's 241-run victory over the Proteas in Durban with a calf strain, but he was back bowling in the nets before the end of that match and could return in Cape Town.
But Cook does not want Anderson to suffer a recurrence of the problem if he comes back when not 100 per cent fit, and with conditions likely to be very hot at Newlands, the England captain is wary of rushing the decision.
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Should Anderson return, it would likely be at the expense of all-rounder Chris Woakes, after Steven Finn played a starring role with four wickets in South Africa's second innings demise.
Speaking on New Years Day, Cook said: "We haven't started training yet, He'll be added to our 12 but it would be fair to say the 11 that played did a pretty good job in Durban.
"But when you have someone like Jimmy, with his wickets, then if he is fit to go obviously he will play. It's an interesting call because he hasn't bowled a huge amount of overs on this tour, and the conditions are going to be tough here with the heat.
"We'll have a good chat when we get back to the changing room and see how he feels. You've got to be really careful with heart and head - he's desperate to play but we have to make sure it is the right decision.
"But you want your best players playing and if he is fit, ready and confident, he will be opening the bowling. We just don't want to hinder ourselves and have an injury caused that we could have prevented."
Cook is keen that England repeat their performance in Durban, with South Africa boasting a fine record at Newlands and looking to add to the 59 years since England last won in Cape Town.
"The word consistency has come up a lot. 2015 was a year where we were up and down a lot," Cook added.
"It was great to finish the year with a performance like that, a relentless performance from pretty much ball one, and now can we do it again. Can we have an Edgbaston-Trent Bridge fortnight in Durban and Cape Town.
"The number of English people here, it's going to be a great Test match to be part of but we have to be careful not get carried away. There were times when we didn't get it right bowling in Durban but we managed to get it back through absolute determination and skill, now we have to have the hunger to do it again.
"South Africa have a great record here and they will be very keen to continue that. I haven't had a look at the wicket but it seems pretty good from here, and you can soon lose a toss - they have some great batters who could score runs and we have to be careful about that. We have to keep the standards we had in Durban."
