Brutal axing of Anderson and Broad hints at issues beyond diminishing returns

As England’s most successful ever bowlers the case for taking James Anderson and Stuart Broad on tour to the West Indies later this month was compelling.

Less convincing was the case for jettisoning them, yet that was the course of action taken by Andrew Strauss, the interim director of England cricket.

Strauss is a thoughtful and sensible man but this decision, made in concert with Paul Collingwood, the acting head coach, and James Taylor, the head scout, has angered more than it has persuaded. Both Anderson (39) and Broad (35) are old in fast-bowling terms, but were Strauss and Co right to do what they did when the pair remain among the top five bowlers in the country?

Strauss’ argument seems to be that blooding new players will give the incoming coach and team director, two appointments to be made before the summer, more information. It is a valid point though some think by looking to the future with these selections Strauss is over-stepping his remit as a temporary appointment himself. In other words, he should stick not twist.

Strauss also said he wants other players to step up and take the leadership roles vacated by Anderson and Broad, which sounds (and this interpretation is from the sidelines) as if captain Joe Root had a frustrating relationship with his senior bowlers in Australia. Without their expertise to call upon in the Caribbean, Root’s captaincy will be judged free of their input — which means no hiding place for him and vice-captain, Ben Stokes.

I must say I was surprised to hear Broad had been dropped, less so Anderson despite the latter topping England’s bowling averages in the recent Ashes debacle. To be bowling as well as he does just shy of 40, Anderson is a marvel. But in Australia he had become a dot-ball bowler and someone entrusted with the new ball needs to be more than that, especially as the pitches were well-grassed, at least by Australian standards.

Despite that Anderson consistently bowled too short for the conditions — what is known as ‘bowling dry’ as in drying up the runs. This was borne out by him conceding only 187 runs from the 104 overs he bowled in the Tests.

Yet his strike-rate of one wicket every 78 balls was worse than England’s spinner, Jack Leach, who took a wicket every 73.5 balls. The other main bowlers all had strike-rates better than 58.

Every team needs a keep-it-tight-merchant but it shouldn’t be Anderson, not at his age. There is an argument that says he has earned the right to rectify matters against the West Indies with Dukes ball in hand, but the men selecting the 16-man squad felt differently.

Broad is four years younger but being bigger-framed means he will have aged a bit quicker. That aside he has become a highly versatile bowler with an effective range of cutters and a good bouncer, both wicket-taking options in the Caribbean where few pitches retain the vigour of old.

It is seeing expertise like Broad and Anderson possess close up that benefits fledgling bowlers far more than listening to coaches. Perhaps that didn’t happen in Australia, which is why Strauss and Co didn’t feel it worthy of consideration for the West Indies’ trip.

Like many in England’s management team, Strauss is a data zealot and the data has no doubt told him that to win Test series abroad, something England have managed to do just four times in their last 13 attempts, you need 90mph reverse-swingers and wrist spin. Of course, Nasser Hussain was calling for that when England captain 20 years ago, long before the rise of analysts. The point is neither Anderson nor Broad fulfil that brief though Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood and Matt Parkinson do.

In his newspaper column, Hussain made the point that should this prove the end for Anderson and Broad (and remember not many pace bowlers play international cricket beyond 35) that both deserve better than to see their brilliant careers ended by a five-minute phone call.

Many will share those feelings but as Steve Waugh, Australia nuggety captain, always said, ‘there are no fairytales in sport’. Aping what Waugh’s Aussies did was fashionable in Hussain’s era as they were the best side in world cricket.

One thing that helped to keep them at the top was the ruthlessness they showed in pensioning-off ageing players. Cricketers like Mark Taylor and Justin Langer may have ‘retired’ but it was made plain to them what would happen if they didn’t.

Both were still worth their place when they called it a day but savvy selectors are always aware when a team needs refreshing.

Let’s face it, it is not as if this is a successful England team which is being broken up. Instead, Root’s side are now that most cliched thing; ‘a team in transition’. Whether it is one which goes from bad to better or bad to worse remains to be seen.

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