James Anderson GOAT

[Uppercut]

He’s got me thinking. I've always kind of assumed that someone couldn’t bowl pace at test level in their mid-40s, but I’m not actually sure if that’s true for the less fast-twitch actions. I can imagine he’d need to play fewer tests and work hard on conditioning. But is there any categorical reason why bowling as he does now wouldn’t be possible for, say, a 45-year old?

 

[trundler]

James Anderson is on TRT and his records should be purged immediately

 

[Daemon]

He’s got me thinking. I've always kind of assumed that someone couldn’t bowl pace at test level in their mid-40s, but I’m not actually sure if that’s true for the less fast-twitch actions. I can imagine he’d need to play fewer tests and work hard on conditioning. But is there any categorical reason why bowling as he does now wouldn’t be possible for, say, a 45-year old?

Just because his action is silky smooth doesn’t mean he isn’t using fast twitch fibres just as much tbf. The hip shoulder separation still drives his action.

Recovery times are also a lot longer I understand. If you’re injured you’re out for longer. And when you’re out longer it’s harder to get back to where you were before because it’s harder to gain muscle mass when you’re older. You probably have to train harder than you did to maintain the same fitness.

That’s not easy tho because aerobic fitness also goes down. VO2max declining can’t be good for a fast bowler.

 

[Uppercut]

Just because his action is silky smooth doesn’t mean he isn’t using fast twitch fibres just as much tbf. The hip shoulder separation still drives his action.

Recovery times are also a lot longer I understand. If you’re injured you’re out for longer. And when you’re out longer it’s harder to get back to where you were before because it’s harder to gain muscle mass when you’re older. You probably have to train harder than you did to maintain the same fitness.

That’s not easy tho because aerobic fitness also goes down. VO2max declining can’t be good for a fast bowler.

Yeah recovery is a big deal. You’d need a bit of luck just to not to pick up any long-term injuries.

Aerobic fitness I would say is less significant, you’d need to look after yourself, but fast bowling surely doesn’t push it to a hard limit.

I guess what I’m thinking is that different physical skills peak at different times. In particular strength peaks much later than flexibility, reactions, or aerobic fitness. Where fast bowling falls on the age spectrum is probably heavily dependent on action and individual factors, and I’m sure some will be able to keep going for a very long time. In other sports the careers of some of the absolutely top-tier players are going on forever and maybe that’ll become more common in cricket.

 

[a massive zebra]

Anderson-Hussain (or Stewart, or Gough)-Gooch-Boycott (or Edrich)-Cowdrey-Hutton takes you back to Bradman's last test.

Alternatively:
Anderson-Stewart-Botham-Knott-Close-Hutton

I'm sure there are other ways too.

EDIT
And as LT says, Hutton takes us back to pre-WW2.
I was hoping that Rhodes was recalled for a random test with Hutton, but sadly that didn't happen.

Recalled at the age of about 60? I don't think so! These two were not the same era at all.

 

[wpdavid]

Recalled at the age of about 60? I don't think so! These two were not the same era at all.

Rhodes did play his final test at 50. But as you suggested, that was seven years before Hutton's debut.

 

[trundler]

Sutcliffe and Hutton never happening in a test is annoying. Granted Sutcliffe was 41 when he played his last test and suffered a leg injury while Hutton was still 2 years away from a test debut at an exceptionally young age, it still would've been pretty neat to have that seamless transition from one Yorkshire legend who's arguably the best ever test opener to the next.

 

[Flem274*]

was touching 140kph in his 9th over today which was impressive for a 55 year old. he really doesn't like virat kohli.

 

[Gob]

Jimmy in 2050 after dismissing Kohli jr for his 3000th wicket

 

[Blenkinsop]

Anderson looked as fresh as a daisy starting off yesterday. Robinson looked like the old man in comparison and he's 12 years younger.

 

[GIMH]

It's okay, he had a rough session this morning so all the losers like Burgey were in there full of glee, lol

 

[ma1978]

This thread aged well

 

[Adders]

This thread aged well

Much like Jimmy Anderson

 

[ataraxia]

Sutcliffe and Hutton never happening in a test is annoying. Granted Sutcliffe was 41 when he played his last test and suffered a leg injury while Hutton was still 2 years away from a test debut at an exceptionally young age, it still would've been pretty neat to have that seamless transition from one Yorkshire legend who's arguably the best ever test opener to the next.

Sutcliffe was Hutton's mentor of course; they opened together plenty-a-time in the CC.

 

[ma1978]

Sutcliffe was Hutton's mentor of course; they opened together plenty-a-time in the CC.

And Jimmy Anderson is so old he used to bowl to Hutton in the nets, so the link is unbroken

 

[wpdavid]

And Jimmy Anderson is so old he used to bowl to Hutton in the nets, so the link is unbroken

Clearly fiction. Yorkshire would never have allowed a Lancastrian to bowl in their nets. Other than that, it was a fair shout though.

 

[GIMH]

This thread aged well

Erm

 

[DriveClub]

Lol jimmy great bowler but what an idiot, lost England a test, how thick must you be to get carried away. And to think he's 39 and has 600 wickets

 

[Furball]

Lol jimmy great bowler but what an idiot, lost England a test, how thick must you be to get carried away. And to think he's 39 and has 600 wickets

Was Anderson even bowling at the time?

 

[GIMH]

No