Ian Bishop, while discussing England’s potential fast-bowling combinations for the first Test against West Indies, spoke of how he’d handle the remainder of Stuart Broad and James Anderson‘s international careers.
Anderson, 37, and Broad, 34, are expected to lead the England bowling in the Southampton Test, but they are both edging towards the end of their respective careers.
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With Anderson turning 38 on July 30, Bishop believes England need to ‘squeeze a little bit more out of Broad’ after his fast-bowling partner bids goodbye to the sport to help the new crop of pacers ease into the side.
“I would think it’d be hard to explain to either of Broad or Anderson that you are sitting out of this one,” Bishop said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast. “You [Nasser Hussain] know them better than I would, but just from the outside, they don’t seem to take kindly and they wouldn’t take kindly to that. So Anderson is going to be 38 at the end of this or beginning of the next month (July 30), so more than likely with Broad being 34, I think Anderson would move on.
Who would you like to see in England’s bowling attack for the first Test against West Indies? pic.twitter.com/aJqG5TTcrX
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 4, 2020
“So I would be hoping, somehow, to squeeze a little bit more out of Stuart Broad after Jimmy has gone. Hopefully, Broad will remain fit for whatever period of time they are after so that he can manage and see them through.
“One of the problems we have had in West Indies cricket, our great players moved on and left, whether batsmen or bowlers, to fend for themselves. They need to keep one of these guys, to me, more than likely Broad on for some time, after Jimmy goes.”
Anderson (584) and Broad (485) have taken 1069 Test wickets between them and comfortably sit atop the list of England’s most prolific Test bowlers.