James Anderson: A Record-Breaking Career in His Own Words
James Anderson will conclude his illustrious England career after the first Test against the West Indies at Lord’s next week. Reflecting on his remarkable journey in a special episode of the Tailenders podcast, Anderson opens up about his cricketing life for the first time since announcing his retirement from international cricket. This is James Anderson, in his own words.
From Humble Beginnings to Bowling Sensation
Becoming Jimmy – ‘I broke some bats that winter’
Anderson’s journey began at Burnley Cricket Club, where his father, Michael, captained the second team. As a young cricketer, Anderson recalls being fairly average at both batting and bowling until a transformative winter.
“I do remember the time I became able to bowl quicker, but not the specific moment it happened. At 15, I came back to winter nets at a school in Blackburn and it was coming out a lot quicker. I don’t really know why or how that happened, but it did. My best mate David Brown, his dad Peter – I can’t remember what shot he played – but I remember the bat breaking. I broke a couple of bats that winter and I felt horrific. I felt like something different had happened. I can’t put my finger on why.”
This newfound pace excited everyone around him, even if it came with some erratic deliveries. “The captain at the time would say: ‘Just bowl as fast as you can.’ Because it was such a change in pace and my body was still developing, I didn’t really know where the ball was going and I bowled the odd beamer. I beamed Australia batter Brad Hodge, who was playing for Ramsbottom. He sort of punched it off his face. I can’t repeat what he said and I was so apologetic.”
Despite some wild spells, Anderson’s talent was undeniable. “In the first over of a game at Burnley, I bowled four wides in a row and was thinking ‘oh my god, this is painful’ – then the next ball went straight through the batter and bowled him. It was inconsistent and erratic, but fun.”
The Call-Up to England
Nasser Hussain’s Influence
Anderson’s rapid rise saw him make his England debut as a 20-year-old in a one-day international in Australia in 2002. His call-up came after a series of injuries to senior fast bowlers, just over a year after his Lancashire debut.
“I’ve heard Nasser Hussain’s dad had seen me play Championship cricket and said I might be worth a look. I got a phone call and was told England wanted me to join them in Sydney. So many questions go through your head but, in reality, I was thinking: ‘Am I really going to play?’ I didn’t play the first game in Sydney and then we went to the Melbourne Cricket Ground and I got told on the outfield I was playing the next day by Nasser. I was thinking: ‘I’m just going to enjoy this while I’m here, because it might not last. I might never play again.'”
Nasser Hussain, known for his intense captaincy style, had a profound impact on the young Anderson. “Nasser was quite intense as a captain and a lot of people didn’t like the way he went about things. But for me, as a 20-year-old, I needed that firmness and instruction. He would really tell you what was demanded of you. He probably had the biggest influence on me, just because of the stage of my career I was at when I played under him.”
Anderson acknowledges the success under Andrew Strauss but credits it more to the players than the captaincy. “We had most success under Andrew Strauss, but I don’t know whether that was down to his captaincy or just the group of players that we had. Probably more so the group of players.”
Trials and Triumphs
The Struggles with Technique
Anderson’s early England career was fraught with challenges. He played only one Test between August 2004 and March 2006 due to tweaks in his bowling action and a stress fracture in his back.
“Troy Cooley, the bowling coach at the time, was into biomechanics. We had a net session with dots put on us, cameras filming in order to see what the bones were doing in the bowling action. My spine was like an S shape. They thought I was going to get injured and I could bowl quicker, even though I was bowling 90mph when I first came into the team. They reckon they could have got me up to 95 if I just changed my action a little bit.”
The adjustments led to injuries and a significant dip in form. “I got injured after changing my action and I didn’t bowl great for 12 months straight after that period. They weren’t trying to damage me, they did it for the best of me and the team. I was at the point where I didn’t think I would play for England again. My wife Danielle was amazing. She said: ‘Snap out of it, you are definitely good enough.'”
Upon regaining fitness, Anderson reverted to his original action, thanks to support from Lancashire’s Mike Watkinson and England bowling coach Kevin Shine. “When I got fit again, I went to Mike Watkinson at Lancashire and Kevin Shine, who was the new England bowling coach, and they said I should go back to my old action. The rest is history.”
Memorable Matches and Milestones
Favourite Test – ‘We charged off like a flock of geese’
Anderson’s career is highlighted by numerous memorable matches, but he singles out the first Ashes Test against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2013 as his favourite. Anderson took 10 wickets in a thrilling 14-run victory.
“It’s the best game I’ve had for England. An Ashes Test, the close nature and I bowled a 13-over spell on the last day trying to bowl them out. I used all the skills I could possibly think of, everything I had in my armoury. The last wicket, Brad Haddin, was an off-cutter. I didn’t actually hear the nick, but Alastair Cook and Matt Prior behind the stumps heard it and then the umpire gave it not out. We had to review it and I asked Haddin if he hit it and he said he did, so we all knew it was going to be given out, but there’s still that moment when the decision comes up on the big screen and the umpire puts his finger up.”
The celebration was unforgettable. “It was just incredible. There’s a great photo of all 11 of us, starting to charge off like a flock of geese, running around the ground. It was amazing. The wickets that matter are the ones where you influence games. Contributing to a win like that is the best feeling.”
The Evolution of Skills
Anderson, one of the most complete fast bowlers in cricket history, discusses the evolution of his skills throughout his 21-year Test career.
“In Test cricket, when you have to bowl in so many different conditions around the world, you need so many different skills and I’ve tried to develop as many as I can. The biggest one that helped me was being able to bowl an in-swinger to a right-hander and an out-swinger to a left-hander. My record when I couldn’t bowl that to left-handers is really poor, but I started learning the in-swinger and it took me about four years to feel confident to bowl it in a game. It just gave me a completely different approach to left-handers, in particular bowling round the wicket.”
Despite his many achievements, Anderson has a couple of regrets. “Just for bragging rights in the pub, I wish I had taken a Test hat-trick. Stuart Broad bangs on about his two quite a lot and he’ll always have that on me. I never got a Test hundred either and I was so close at Trent Bridge. I made 81 against India in 2014. I thought I was getting one there, but I didn’t make it.”
Building the Perfect Bowler
When asked about the attributes of the perfect bowler, Anderson revealed his admiration for several legends and his contemporary, Pat Cummins.
“You would pick Glenn McGrath’s accuracy and Dale Steyn’s wrist position. Being a Lancashire fan, I always loved Wasim Akram’s action. He was an insane bowler. He swung it both ways and reversed it really well. I really like Pat Cummins’ action. There was a Test match in Galle in Sri Lanka where I was feeling really stiff after lunch. Mark Wood was at mid-off and I said: ‘I’m going to copy Pat Cummins’ action now and try to bowl like him.’ I got a wicket in that over and Woody said: ‘You should bowl like him all the time.'”
Cummins’ action inspired Anderson. “He’s got an amazing snap. When he gets to the top of his action, everything seems to go really quick. When he bowls the ball, he just snaps through the crease. Because I was feeling stiff and a bit sluggish, I was trying to recreate that speed and it worked.”
Future Plans and Reflections
Life After Cricket
Anderson has been a prominent figure on the Tailenders podcast since its inception in 2017 and has dabbled in TV and radio punditry as well as newspaper columns. After his final Test, he will join the England coaching team as a bowling mentor but has yet to decide if he will continue playing for Lancashire.
“I’ve loved doing Tailenders. It definitely made me fall back in love with the game because at some points it has become just a job. There are some days when you turn up, it’s raining and the covers are on and I wasn’t actually that bothered.”
Looking ahead, Anderson is uncertain but open to exploring new opportunities. “I honestly don’t know what will happen next. I love talking about the game. I love talking about bowling and delving into the technical side of it. I’ve done a bit of punditry on TV and on the radio, so I will maybe balance that and a bit of coaching.”
Contemplating a career change after two decades in cricket is daunting. “It’s a weird feeling when you’ve done something for 20 years and then all of a sudden you’ve got to find something else to do. We went to see a school for my eldest daughter the other day. There was a careers adviser there and I did wonder about asking him some questions. I’d like a bit of time just to try a few things and see if something sticks.”
James Anderson’s career, marked by his skill, resilience, and passion, has been nothing short of extraordinary. As he steps into a new phase, his legacy as one of England’s greatest bowlers is firmly cemented.
