Anderson: Forget about winning the Ashes if we are inconsistent

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James Anderson England cricket

James Anderson was disappointed with England’s performance on the second day

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

James Anderson has admitted that England will struggle to beat Australia in their highly-anticipated Ashes series later this year if they continue to put up inconsistent performances.

Anderson’s comments come after England endured a frustrating second day against the West Indies at Headingley as they only took four wickets.

The men from the Caribbean began by losing nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo and Kyle Hope, but Shai Hope and Kraigg Brathwaite came to the rescue with a magnificent 246-run partnership.

Brathwaite ended up making a fantastic 134 before he was clean bowled by Stuart Broad, while Hope finished the day unbeaten on a career-best 147.

England annihilated the West Indies in the first Test at Edgbaston as they took 19 wickets on the third day en route to an innings and 209-run win.

But, with the West Indies in total control in the ongoing second Test, Anderson conceded that England cannot afford to repeat these mistakes when they go up against the Baggy Greens in November.

“I thought we had got on the right side of that, started to resolve that, with the two wins against South Africa and then winning the first Test here,” Anderson was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. “We are still evolving as a side, trying to improve and ironing out those inconsistencies is a really big thing for this team.

“Obviously, we have got a big tour of Australia coming up, and we really need to turn things round. We can’t go over there, be inconsistent, and expect to win a series — or any series, to be honest.”

At the end of the second day, the West Indies had amassed a 71-run lead, but should that surpass 150, Anderson acknowledged that England will face an uphill battle to get back into the game.

“Anything over 150 would be a tough ask to try to turn it around, so restricting them to anything under that and we are still in the game,” the country’s highest wicket-taker in Tests added.

When asked what went wrong on the second day, Anderson said: “We didn’t bowl enough balls in the right area. You have still got to create pressure even if you are bowling on a pitch with no life in it, and we didn’t do it often enough.”

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