Anderson bounces back with Ashes best

Here’s a recap of Anderson’s wickets.

England have suffered a major blow ahead of the third day’s play in the ongoing third Ashes Test match against Australia at Edgbaston.

After grabbing the wickets of Steve Smith and Michael Clarke in the first innings yesterday, Finn followed it up with a terrific spell of bowling to put England on the brink of taking a 2-1 series lead.

Johnson’s 69-Test career has not, however, been one of uninterrupted progress, with the 33-year-old mocked mercilessly by visiting fans when he lost control of both line and length during England’s 2010/11 Ashes series win in Australia. Warner, himself, was unable to keep the ball down against James Anderson, offering a catch to Adam Lyth at cover, with Australia six down and still needing another 34 to make England bat again. “I think it’s good there’s that possibility of us bowling better than that, which is really exciting”, Anderson said.

Anderson had to leave the field mid-over on day two in Birmingham, wincing in pain with an injury England later described as a “tight side”.

Root, 30 not out overnight, played positively despite the early setbacks on his way to a 49-ball fifty but his intent proved his undoing when he was drawn into driving at a wide ball from the erratic Mitchell Starc.

Johnson took his 300th Test wicket when he removed Jonny Bairstow, adding to his 2,000th run in the format which came on Wednesday.

“There’s still pressure on us, we’ve got to do a professional job tomorrow”.

Australia would have been in even more dire trouble had opener Chris Rogers not knuckled down for 52 uncomfortable runs at the head of the innings.

Next ball Adam Voges edged Finn to second slip Ian Bell for a duck.

The England wicketkeeper decided against a review himself, after a brief consultation with non-striker Moeen, and then discovered on his return to the pavilion that Hawkeye was surprisingly simulating the ball clearing the stumps. Anderson, however, believes there are still runs to be made, with Root and Bairstow, on one, set to resume in the morning.

“We need to get out there and fight”, said Johnson.

His exit left England 278 for nine and Hazlewood soon wrapped up the innings by having last man Anderson caught behind.

It unravelled spectacularly when Finn dismissed Smith for the second time in the match, a sloppy pull shot resulting in a skied edge that landed straight in the lap of keeper Jos Buttler.