England star James Anderson is desperate to send Australia a message by playing in the fifth Test at The Oval starting on Wednesday.
Even though the match is a dead-rubber and Anderson seems in need of a rest, the strike bowler feels he has unfinished business in this series and a point to prove ahead of the return Ashes in the summer.
Anderson took 10 wickets in a match-winning performance in the first Test at Trent Bridge.
But since then he’s struggled to back that effort up and in the fourth Test at Chester-le-Street he was particularly toothless.
Despite being the undisputed leader of the England attack, Anderson has the worst bowling average in the side, going at 31.11 with 17 wickets.
There are calls for Anderson to be wrapped in cotton wool with so much more Ashes cricket still to come, but Anderson has spoken out pleading to be retained for The Oval.
“I desperately want to play in the fifth Test, not only to finish what we started but also to try to rediscover the form that I admit has not been as I would have liked in the last couple of matches,” Anderson wrote in the Daily Mail.
“I know it is pretty impossible to perform at 100 per cent in every match, but I’m my own harshest critic and, by the standards I set myself, I did not bowl as well as I can at Old Trafford or the Riverside.
“That makes me want to play this week to try to find out what has been missing and work out how I can get it back.
“Physically, there is nothing to suggest I need a rest. I am nowhere near the state of exhaustion that hit me when I was left out of the side in the last World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, when, at the end of a winter which included our brilliant but draining 2010-11 Ashes tour, I more or less hit the wall.”
Meanwhile, Australian great Adam Gilchrist has called for Ryan Harris to be played for an unprecedented fourth-straight Test match.
Gilchrist said that unless Harris had a genuine niggle, he should play, regardless of the fact the series is over.
As Australia’s great success story for the series, along with opener Chris Rogers, Harris deserves a chance to finish strong and lay a marker for the coming series, according to Gilchrist.
“While mindful of the opportunity to rest guys who may be injured and therefore miss future matches, I think Ryan himself deep down would dearly like to play at The Oval,” Gilchrist wrote on EspnCricinfo.
“When you’ve missed as much cricket as he has through injury, and don’t know how much you have left, you want to take every opportunity to go out and play.
“Australia have a chance to show some of the resolve they demonstrated for most of the two Test matches at Old Trafford and Chester-le-Street, and try to get the kind of result that would lead to a more positive mindset when they start the return series back home.
“I’ve always felt that if they’re all fit, you pick your best XI, and under those terms Ryan is just about the first man who should be chosen.”
ChrisT
Guest
Yep. It's all down to selection. That's it. The English must be absolutely crapping themselves you might get it right.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
That because the selectors are useless... We can't bat for toffee, so we pick another bits and pieces player. We've already got Steven Smith, now we've selected James Faulkner.... We deserved to lose 4-0 in England and 0-5 in Australia due to this ridiculous team selections
JimmyB
Guest
I don't think so mate, we'll leave it to the Aussies to pick 5 batsmen. You do know that the Aussies have seen the pitch and picked 5 seamers.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
I'm based in London, pitch is dry as somewhere in Columbo or Dhaka. Weather's warm for days 1, 2 and 3. Would be surprised if you Poms didn't make two changes. Woakes for Bresnan and Kerrigan for Bairstow
JimmyB
Guest
Are you still going on Frankie, jeez mate give it up, we get it Anderson and Englands bowlers are rubbish and The Aussies are world class. What makes you think that the Oval won't take swing or seam any way?
Frankie Hughes
Guest
No swing or seam at the Oval If Pup, Rogers and Warner dig in, Clubman Anderson's average will rise yet further
ChrisT
Guest
Australia must be the first team of any description to be steam rollered by Mini Metros ....
JimmyB
Guest
Ha ha, yeah he wanted to get his average down.
pope paul v11
Guest
Ando had an inkling of the team our lot were going to put out. No wonder he's keen.
Chris
Guest
His career average was 39.20 in 2007, and has been falling ever since. You are entitled to hold your view, but when it is diametrically opposite to every ex professional who fall over themselves to say how good Anderson now is, then your opinion has about the same value of that as a gnat.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
From 2010, Anderson's average away from England is 28.81(so 29) That's 1 run lower than his career average. Hardly pulling down trees... FYI Harris Siddle and Pattinson are all light years better than Clubman Anderson
Chris
Guest
Last three years away from home, he averages 28.25 You do know players can improve, right? I hope so, otherwise you are stuffed with your current side.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
Anderson has played 36 Tests outside England. 116 wickets @ 35.19 with a strike rate of 66.34(a wicket every 11 overs). Averaging 3.22 wickets per game. Anderson has 3 5WHs in 36 Tests, so a 5WH every 12 Tests Compared to his home stats 50 Tests 208 wickets @ 27.71 and a strike rate of 54.3(wicket every 9 overs). 12 5WH and 2 10WH. So a 5WH every 4.16 Tests. Thus proving not only is Anderson a hometown bully, but a very mediocre bowler as well.
JimmyB
Guest
You're very boring Frankie!
Frankie Hughes
Guest
Anderson averages 30+ = not world class in a week of Sundays.
Chris
Guest
Anderson's average is skewed by the two phases to his career, the Bad Jimmy of 2003-2009, and the good Jimmy ever since.
JimmyB
Guest
I love the way that you manage to shoehorn 3 Aussies in there Frankie, well done mate. As I said I look forward to the return series with great interest. As far as delusion goes mate, I think you have got that down pat.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
World class? You Poms are deluded. An average of 30 proves he's way short of world class. Steyn, Philander, Morkel, Siddle, Pattinson, Harris, Roach, Boult Anderson falls into the same bracket at Johnson, Z Khan, Broad. Decent on their day. Average most others.
JimmyB
Guest
Do you actually watch any cricket Frankie or do you just look at stats on Cricinfo? Anderson is a world class bowler, to call him rubbish makes you sound petty and uninformed. I genuinely can't wait for the return series.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
Anderson averaged 30.25 in the series in India, hardly world class Siddle and Pattinson both bowled fantastically in India, the batting wasted their hard work. Anderson took 10 wickets in New Zealand @ 37. Against modest batting. Against hardly world class. Anderson so called improved bowling away from home is built on two series Australia 2010-11(24 wickets @ 26) and UAE 2012(9 wickets @ 27). Against two very weak batting sides. Anderson is rubbish. Two anomalies in an otherwise pretty ordinary career