BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom: James Anderson may be getting used to making history but he derived special pleasure in breaking Darren Gough’s record to become England’s most successful one-day bowler.
The 30-year-old Lancashire pacemen, who last month became only the fourth England bowler to take 300 Test wickets, started the hosts’ Champions Trophy opener against Australia at Edgbaston on Saturday tied with retired Yorkshire quick Gough on 234 one-day international (ODI) wickets.
But that changed when he had Mitchell Marsh caught by Eoin Morgan at point.
What really pleased Anderson, who finished with three for 30 to take his tally to 237 ODI wickets, though was that his haul helped England to a 48-run victory.
“It’s good fun breaking records, and I’m delighted with this one, but more importantly we’re delighted to get off to a winning start in this tournament,” Anderson said.
“Although it’s a bit different to reaching 300 Test wickets last month, it still means a lot because I started my international career in one-day cricket, and I’m very happy with what I’ve achieved since then,” added Anderson, whose first ODI wicket, on his debut, was that of Australia’s Adam Gilchrist at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 15, 2002.
Not that he was especially proud of the way he dismissed Marsh.
“Funnily enough, I probably got the wicket which broke Goughie’s record with the worst ball I bowled all day -- a long hop outside off stump -- but that’s the way it goes sometimes,” Anderson explained.
“I used to look up to Goughie when I watched him bowl as a kid, and I ended up playing for England with him as well, so that makes it extra special.”
After Saturday’s match, Australia captain George Bailey admitted his side had few answers to England’s attack but Anderson also highlighted the role played by Ian Bell, who made 91 on his Warwickshire home ground, and the rest of the batsmen in compiling a challenging total of 269 for six.
“As a side we bowled brilliantly. Stuart Broad and I set the tone up front, then Bres (Tim Bresnan) and James Tredwell did a fantastic job, but obviously it was set up for us by the batsmen.”
England came into their Group A opener on the back of a 2-1 series loss at home to New Zealand but Saturday saw them show the kind of form that persuaded some pundits this could be the event where they finally win their first major ODI title. AFP
