Oz quicks should learn from ‘iron man’ Anderson

Sydney: Injury prone Australian fast bowlers can learn a lot from England quick James Anderson, who has bowled brilliantly and non-stop without any hassles through out this year, according to cricket writer, Robert Craddock.

“Remember the good old days when Australia`s fast bowlers were as strong as lions and our English rivals seemed as brittle as diet biscuits?” Craddock wrote in his column for News.com.au. “Sadly they have been replaced by a time where the iron man of international fast bowling is a player Australia once regarded as soft - Englishman Jimmy Anderson,” he added. “As seven Australian fast bowlers remain sidelined by injury, the remarkable Anderson surged through a demanding year to prove himself a genuine star and a gifted spearhead, able to thrive in all conditions,” he further wrote. Craddock added: “Though his returns of 48 wickets at 29.5 may not seem spectacular his ability to handle heavy work was. He bowled a staggering 566 overs in the year, playing 14 of England`s 15 Tests.” “Australia, by contrast, played just 10 Tests for the year. No fast man played every Test with Ben Hilfenhaus missing just one for the excellent returns of 37 wickets at 21.67. But his workload was dwarfed by Anderson`s,” he wrote. “Hilfenhaus (338.3 overs), sidelined with a side strain, and Peter Siddle (310 overs in seven Tests) bowled far less than Anderson, casting a dark shadow over Australia`s ability to properly prepare fast men for the rigours of the five day game,” he further added. “Australia are well aware of Anderson`s durability because they`re tracking the progress of bowlers worldwide in an attempt to find a better way to prepare their own,” he concluded. ANI