Former cricketer-turned-broadcaster David Lloyd thinks James Anderson might not get a chance to play at his home ground in Manchester ever again after the fifth and final Test between England and India got cancelled and eventually postponed indefinitely due to the Covid-19 outbreak in the visiting camp.
The England and Wales Cricket Board initially stated that India, who came into the series finale with an unbeatable 2-1 lead, ‘forfeited the match’ before revising its statement to say India were ‘unable to field a team’ which led to the cancellation of the Test.
But Lloyd seemed unhappy with the outcome and rued the chance to see Anderson bowl at full tilt on his home ground.
“It might be that India’s refusal to fulfil their commitment and play the final Test denied Jimmy Anderson a final hurrah on a ground which bears his name at one end,” Lloyd wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.
Anderson was in top form in the Test series, picking 15 wickets from four games at 24.66 with one five-for to his name as well and Lloyd reckons the veteran seamer would have given it his all in the final as well.
“He’s a warrior and would have pushed himself forward once again, just as he has all summer, bowling an excessive number of overs because England cannot bat,” Lloyd said.
The BCCI president Sourav Ganguly will travel to the United Kingdom on September 22 to meet with England cricket representatives to discuss the possible rescheduling of the Manchester Test.
