England became sentimental about James Anderson, cost them the Ashes, says Michael Vaughan
Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes that the English cricket team got sentimental over the selection call of senior fast bowler James Anderson, which might have cost them the ashes series against Australia.
The visiting team Australia were able to retain the Ashes on Sunday given that the fifth and final day of the fourth Test, at Manchester in Old Trafford was washed out and England, despite being in a commanding position of the match, could not push on for a further victory having won the third Test to open their account.
With Australia retaining the ashes, England have now been without winning the Ashes for the fourth time in a row. Australia have won the last three Ashes series whereas the one in England in 2019 was drawn 2-2 between the two archrivals.
Michael Vaughan told the BBC’s Ashes Daily podcast,
“We all agreed that James Anderson deserved to have that sentimental pick because he’s a legend of the game, but it may have cost England. Josh Tongue is a young quick who has created an impact in that one game that he has played, and I know the Australians don’t like facing him.”
The former England captain said James Anderson, who has taken most wickets for any bowler in the history of Test cricket, has had no impact on this as a series and it is very unlikely of James Anderson to not have any role to play in such an important assignment for the England Test cricket team.
“Jimmy, in the three Test matches that he’s played in this series, has just had no impact at all. I don’t remember him getting a key wicket at any stage and that’s very unlike Jimmy Anderson,”
said Michael Vaughan, who was the captain when England famously won the Ashes series against legendary Australian team back in 2005.
“We pick on Jonny [Bairstow] because he’s dropped a few chances but we’ve got to be honest: Jimmy Anderson has played three games and has had no impact at all in this series, and it might just be that for The Oval, he might not be in England’s best XI,”
said Michael Vaughan.
Michael Vaughan said somebody like Chris Woakes, who has not exactly been in the scheme of things as far as England’s Test cricket team is concerned, has had a more impactful role to play in the series both with the bat and the ball.
“Chris Woakes has almost shown us what can be done with the Dukes ball when you’ve got that zip because he’s been going over the top with the seam and it’s just been doing enough,”
Michael Vaughan said.
“It’s been wobble seam and a bit more action off the surface at a similar pace. It’s not like Chris has been bowling three or four mph quicker than Jimmy. For whatever reason, Jimmy’s not been getting that kiss off the surface that we’ve seen for many, many years,” said the former England captain.