ENG vs IND | Red cherry swung more than the pink SG ball, reveals James Anderson
James Anderson created history on Day 2
|James Anderson, who on Friday produced a performance to cherish, revealed that the red ball swung much more than the pink and also claimed that the first new ball moved far more than the second. Anderson also expressed elation over becoming the third pacer to claim 900 international wickets.
Friday was a day to forget for the English team, as a whole, but one man walked off the field with his head held high. Anderson finished Day 2 with figures of 3/40 off his 20 overs, and, at one stage, he was all over the Indian batsmen, having conceded a ridiculous 10 runs off his first 13 overs. In particular, the 38-year-old ravaged the Indian top-order with the new-ball, beating the batsmenās inside and outside edges for fun, albeit with little luck.
This, according to Anderson, was rendered possible by the red-ball which, he said, surprisingly swung more than the pink cherry.
āThe red ball definitely swung more than the pink. The first new ball swung more than the second,ā Anderson said before the start of Day 3, reported Cricbuzz.
āI am not sure if that's because we were tired and the wicket seemed to play better in the last session. I have no idea why we pick dark balls. In county cricket we pick the darker red and we did the same here as well. We've just found they swing more.ā
Keeping the ball shiny is imperative to generate swing - reverse or conventional - and the man tasked with that job for England has been Dan Lawrence. Anderson revealed that the Three Lions throw the ball to the 23-year-old as he, much like Alastair Cook, does not sweat too much.
āYou don't want sweaty hands on the ball, so just try and give it to Dan Lawrence (in this game) as much as possible to maintain and try and see if you can get some reverse swing.ā
Right before lunch, Anderson removed a big fish in the form of Ajnkya Rahane, and that was a milestone wicket for the 38-year-old, for it was his 900th scalp in international cricket. Anderson expressed pride and elation over the achievement and asserted that he still has a burning desire to keep improving every single day.Ā
āProud moment for me (taking 900 international wickets). Tells me I have been playing the game for a long time (smiles). It's just a case of trying to improve every time you come to play. That hunger is still there to improve myself.ā
