Jimmy Anderson is refusing to rule out bowling in Australia’s second innings after testing his injured calf before the start of play on day two of the first Ashes Test.
The England paceman pulled up with the issue four overs into his work on the opening day and though he had a scan during the afternoon the results are being kept private with the match live. The same right calf injury forced him to miss the last month of cricket for Lancashire.
Anderson did some light jogging on the outfield before day two and also batted in preparation for his duties at No 11. Despite an understandably gloomy prognosis for the 37-year-old, Stuart Broad claimed his strike partner still retains a slim hope of a return when Australia bat again.
Broad, who led the attack in Anderson’s absence and claimed figures of five for 86 in Australia’s first innings, said: “He will be working desperately hard on ice and rehab. He said to me last night there’s a chance he might bowl second innings. If the scan comes back and there’s no major mark on it, he will strap it up and go. One thing we know about Jimmy is that if there’s a chance of him bowling he will.”
One certainty is that Mark Wood is out for the remainder of the season. The fast bowler suffered a side strain during the World Cup final and was always touch-and-go to heal in time for the back end of the Ashes. He has since had an operation to tidy up some cartilage damage in his left knee. .
Jofra Archer, due to build up his overs in T20 and second XI cricket for Sussex in the coming week, would be England’s first choice to replace Anderson in the likely event England’s record wicket-taker is ruled out of the second Test at Lord’s from 14 August.
Sam Curran, who offers a point of difference from his left-arm angle and pugnacious lower-order runs, and Ollie Stone, the fast bowler who claimed three Ireland wickets on his debut last week, are the other candidates in the squad.