How far can Jimmy go?

So, with McGrath now in his rear view mirror and no signs of impending retirement, I was starting to think about what might be realistic goals for Anderson now. Obviously one injury or loss of form could end it quickly, but it now seems next season's Ashes is the minimum, not the maximum, reach of his remaining career.

Just for fun then, given England's current future Tests schedule, assuming he plays every one (big assumption) and carries on taking around 4 wickets per Test, as per his career average...

Well within reach
600: 2nd Test v Australia, 2019 (JA 152nd Test)
619 (>Kumble): 2nd Test v New Zealand, 2019-20 (157th)

At a stretch...
650: 2nd Test v West Indies, 2020 (165th)

Not quite as ridiculous as it would once have seemed...
700: 3rd Test v India, 2021 (177th)
709 (>Warne): 1st Test v Australia, 2021-22 (180th)

Now we're just being silly... aren't we?
750: 1st Test v South Africa, 2022 (190th)
800: 5th Test v Australia, 2023* (202nd)
801 (>Murali): Maybe he can squeeze that one in as well, knock out Nathan Lyon's middle stump to clinch the Ashes and ride off into the sunset

*2023 schedule is an assumption, 2 v someone else then 5-match Ashes series...

What would Jimmy' s record be now, if Kevin Shite had not messed with his action?

Has had a wonderful career. I can remember a few years ago JA trundling in on unresponsive pitches in Banindia. He never chucked the towel in.

Just a terrific competitor.

Extremely unlikely if not impossible but I'd sure rejoice if Jimmeh had the legs to get to Chuck's record*. But at 36 I think he may only have another year or so in him.

skully, if not a severe injury - I think the end will come the way it did with Pidge ... but I, like everyone else couldn't predict when.

Jimmy's action has become more smooth, efficient and economical with age, not too disimmilar to a certain Sir R.J. Hadlee. He was a bit useful back in the day, wasn't he?

He was just past his 39th birthday when he retired. With no international one-day cricket, and very limited County cricket (although interestingly the ECB are allowing him to play for Lancs this w/end in the T20 finals) - it's not impossible for him to play to that age also, if the hunger is still there.

Watching him bowl this year I'd actually forgotten how old he was. The way he was bowling in my head I didn't really think about his age but if I'd have guessed I would have said early 30s as he is looking as good as he has ever looked.

Bowling like this at 36 is phenomenal. Most decent bowlers see their average head towards 30 when they are in their 30s but his has steadily been going the other way.

Growler wrote:skully, if not a severe injury - I think the end will come the way it did with Pidge ... but I, like everyone else couldn't predict when.

Jimmy's action has become more smooth, efficient and economical with age, not too disimmilar to a certain Sir R.J. Hadlee. He was a bit useful back in the day, wasn't he?

He was just past his 39th birthday when he retired. With no international one-day cricket, and very limited County cricket (although interestingly the ECB are allowing him to play for Lancs this w/end in the T20 finals) - it's not impossible for him to play to that age also, if the hunger is still there.

I hope you're right, Growls.

vilkrang wrote:Watching him bowl this year I'd actually forgotten how old he was. The way he was bowling in my head I didn't really think about his age but if I'd have guessed I would have said early 30s as he is looking as good as he has ever looked.

Bowling like this at 36 is phenomenal. Most decent bowlers see their average head towards 30 when they are in their 30s but his has steadily been going the other way.

I agree, vilks. In looking up his age I was assuming 33 or 34. I was surprised to see 36.

I hope Jimmy is not put on ice for either of the winter tours, they are evenly spaced which will give him ample opportunity for rest and recuperation in between.

Sri Lanka might just be a case of flogging himself on unhelpful pitches where our choice of seamers will make little difference to the outcome, though.

Starc showed that swing in the humid conditions can get wickets on our last tour of Lanka, so Jimmeh might get a few.

Aus's problem was that we couldn't back up good bowling performances with the bat. We were abysmal against Herath and co.

I suspect England may have to combat a similar problem.

skully wrote:Starc showed that swing in the humid conditions can get wickets on our last tour of Lanka, so Jimmeh might get a few.

Aus's problem was that we couldn't back up good bowling performances with the bat. We were abysmal against Herath and co.

I suspect England may have to combat a similar problem.

Jimmy is also more than useful at bowling cutters.

Just 4 matches behind schedule, though more than a year so in terms of time elapsed, due to a combination of matches missed and cancelled...

Jimmy's pace has remained constant for the last six or seven years, which is nothing short of remarkable. That is, in no small part to his almost obsessional love for playing the game. And, by the way, hats off to the ECB for putting the infrastructure in place to support him through the odd injury.

I'm beginning to believe that the next Ashes series is within reach, provided he gets the odd game off and providing Root does not bowl him into the ground when he does play.

Never mind Australia at the end of next year, I think the next home Ashes series might be on his mind...

The amazing thing about Anderson is that for years his average hovered around thirty and now he's reduced that significantly. Great career, though perhaps relies on home pitches/conditions more than many.

Congrats to Jimmeh on 600.

Stellar achievement.

Red wrote:The amazing thing about Anderson is that for years his average hovered around thirty and now he's reduced that significantly. Great career, though perhaps relies on home pitches/conditions more than many.

Wine, whisky and Jimmy Anderson. All get better with age, and bring pleasure to millions...

In the last 10 years, Anderson has 412 Test wickets at an average of 24.53.

Broad just edges him out over that time period with 417 (@ 26.11) - nobody else has recorded 300, with Boult and Southee next on the list.

'not much further', you'd think.

Lovely round number to stop on.

666 would be a lovely round number, BWAHAHAHAHA
(sorry Furri, couldn't help myself... I'll pay the copyright fine no questions asked)

PeterCS wrote:666 would be a lovely round number, BWAHAHAHAHA
(sorry Furri, couldn't help myself... I'll pay the copyright fine no questions asked)

you might have to pay footwork, who sidestepped after 666

Neil D stopped just shy of the [purported] Devil's Number; and no I don't mean Ian Bell's cap number.

beamer wrote:In the last 10 years, Anderson has 412 Test wickets at an average of 24.53.

Broad just edges him out over that time period with 417 (@ 26.11) - nobody else has recorded 300, with Boult and Southee next on the list.

Are you only talking about pace bowlers?

Oh yeah, the link was filtered by bowler type, didn’t spot the absence of spinners!

Still, the England pair remain the top two.

beamer wrote:In the last 10 years, Anderson has 412 Test wickets at an average of 24.53.

Broad just edges him out over that time period with 417 (@ 26.11) - nobody else has recorded 300, with Boult and Southee next on the list.

They have played almost twice as many Tests over that period as Southee and Boult, and three times as many as most of the other fast bowlers on the list. This probably goes to their durability as much as it does the number of home Tests with the Duke.