Thank You James Anderson- Farewell Thread

[SteveNZ]

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/11/05/you-f-kers-jimmy-anderson-details-brutal-england-test-execution-feel-like-joe-pesci-in-goodfellas/

“As I walk towards them, it hits me cold. This isn’t a team appraisal, is it?” Anderson wrote.

“With each footstep towards the far side of the bar, each of their distinct silhouettes coming into view, the tram journey just gone is suddenly like a blissful past life, the outdoor sun sucked into a horizonless neon-red darkness.

“My brain is doing the maths and my heart is sinking as I go to shake their hands. I feel like Joe Pesci in Goodfellas, ushered into a room under the impression that I’m going to get made, only to be shot. You f–kers."

This is not a war hero's, or a mob boss's book, it is that of James Anderson, who played 188 Tests until he was 42 years old.

And has now nominated for the IPL.

Just after the same guy - Tuddy, aka Brendon McCullum - who 'shot' him in that room, had resurrected Anderson's Test career and not only that, allowed him to play golf at St Andrew's rather than perform his initial duties as a bowling coach.

 

[Molehill]

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/11/05/you-f-kers-jimmy-anderson-details-brutal-england-test-execution-feel-like-joe-pesci-in-goodfellas/

“As I walk towards them, it hits me cold. This isn’t a team appraisal, is it?” Anderson wrote.

“With each footstep towards the far side of the bar, each of their distinct silhouettes coming into view, the tram journey just gone is suddenly like a blissful past life, the outdoor sun sucked into a horizonless neon-red darkness.

“My brain is doing the maths and my heart is sinking as I go to shake their hands. I feel like Joe Pesci in Goodfellas, ushered into a room under the impression that I’m going to get made, only to be shot. You f–kers."

This is not a war hero's, or a mob boss's book, it is that of James Anderson, who played 188 Tests until he was 42 years old.

And has now nominated for the IPL.

Just after the same guy - Tuddy, aka Brendon McCullum - who 'shot' him in that room, had resurrected Anderson's Test career and not only that, allowed him to play golf at St Andrew's rather than perform his initial duties as a bowling coach.

Whilst a lot of that is over dramatic tosh, I would point out that

1) Baz didn’t resurrect his career
2) Jimmy would probably have rather still been bowling than playing golf/coaching.

 

[SteveNZ]

Whilst a lot of that is over dramatic tosh, I would point out that

1) Baz didn’t resurrect his career
2) Jimmy would probably have rather still been bowling than playing golf/coaching.

There'd be arguments for #1. Was dropped for the Windies series in 2022, then back for Baz's first series in charge mid that year. I admit my wording doesn't do it justice, but in saying that - not every coach appointed to that role would have brought back a 40-year-old Jimmy, then played him pretty solidly for two years more.

On 2, no doubt...but it was deemed, and a lot of people would agree, that it was Jimmy's time. They brought him straight back into the environment, and bent over backwards to let him fulfill a desire to play celebrity golf. To then turn around and act like they lined him up in a dodgy hotel room and set the firing squad on him, especially in the dramatic language used, is pretty lame, really. It doesn't give much credit to a leadership group that were prepared to back him right in, then invite him straight back into their coaching group (and yes I realise the book would have likely been largely written by this time).

I'd use this article as a classic example of never believing that people who seemingly have it all from the outside, automatically feel content on the inside. Jimmy Anderson has always had the impression of a guy who has a massive chip on his shoulder, for reasons I could never understand.

 

[Molehill]

There'd be arguments for #1. Was dropped for the Windies series in 2022, then back for Baz's first series in charge mid that year. I admit my wording doesn't do it justice, but in saying that - not every coach appointed to that role would have brought back a 40-year-old Jimmy, then played him pretty solidly for two years more.

On 2, no doubt...but it was deemed, and a lot of people would agree, that it was Jimmy's time. They brought him straight back into the environment, and bent over backwards to let him fulfill a desire to play celebrity golf. To then turn around and act like they lined him up in a dodgy hotel room and set the firing squad on him, especially in the dramatic language used, is pretty lame, really. It doesn't give much credit to a leadership group that were prepared to back him right in, then invite him straight back into their coaching group (and yes I realise the book would have likely been largely written by this time).

I'd use this article as a classic example of never believing that people who seemingly have it all from the outside, automatically feel content on the inside. Jimmy Anderson has always had the impression of a guy who has a massive chip on his shoulder, for reasons I could never understand.

I think both Broad and Anderson were dropped/rested for that Windies series in an experiment to see if they were still needed. The answer was pretty conclusive.

As for the actual article, isn’t it simply a case of ramping it up to sell a few books? I suspect they’re all having a laugh about it.

 

[SteveNZ]

You're saying they put that sort of language/description in the book to sell a few? That'll work. Not that he's selling his soul, but I personally wouldn't want such tripe in my book to earn a few more quid. That sits there for the rest of your days as a reminder you seemed all a bit bitter and twisted about a 188-Test career. And if I'm Baz reading it (not that Baz will care) I'd think it was lame reading for a guy you backed to the hilt

 

[Victor Ian]

Why is Kennedy still on the ballot? I thought he withdrew a while back.

 

[Burgey]

No, thank you Jimmy.

 

[Pothas]

There'd be arguments for #1. Was dropped for the Windies series in 2022, then back for Baz's first series in charge mid that year. I admit my wording doesn't do it justice, but in saying that - not every coach appointed to that role would have brought back a 40-year-old Jimmy, then played him pretty solidly for two years more.

On 2, no doubt...but it was deemed, and a lot of people would agree, that it was Jimmy's time. They brought him straight back into the environment, and bent over backwards to let him fulfill a desire to play celebrity golf. To then turn around and act like they lined him up in a dodgy hotel room and set the firing squad on him, especially in the dramatic language used, is pretty lame, really. It doesn't give much credit to a leadership group that were prepared to back him right in, then invite him straight back into their coaching group (and yes I realise the book would have likely been largely written by this time).

I'd use this article as a classic example of never believing that people who seemingly have it all from the outside, automatically feel content on the inside. Jimmy Anderson has always had the impression of a guy who has a massive chip on his shoulder, for reasons I could never understand.

This is ridiculous.

He is just describing how it felt to have his career ended, that is it. The fact he took the new job shows he doesn't really feel any real resentment against the people that did it.

 

[SteveNZ]

This is ridiculous.

He is just describing how it felt to have his career ended, that is it. The fact he took the new job shows he doesn't really feel any real resentment against the people that did it.

So why is he carrying on like he's been taking out, execution style? It reads laughably. I like him as a bowler but far out, what a diva.

 

[Pothas]

Because that is what the situation felt like?

I don't understand this at all.

 

[SteveNZ]

Sweet as. I don't understand why a guy who played up to 42 years old and 188 Tests would put such a carry-on in his book. It's seemed to a lot of people outside England that this guy has had so many successes in his life, but carried a boulder-sized chip on his shoulder up to his final days.

 

[GIMH]

Sweet as. I don't understand why a guy who played up to 42 years old and 188 Tests would put such a carry-on in his book. It's seemed to a lot of people outside England that this guy has had so many successes in his life, but carried a boulder-sized chip on his shoulder up to his final days.

I normally not just agree with your posts, but enjoy them and look for them. But surely mate, this is just a bloke who wants to play forever realising the dream is over?

 

[SteveNZ]

I normally not just agree with your posts, but enjoy them and look for them. But surely mate, this is just a bloke who wants to play forever realising the dream is over?

Fair enough, I might have got it wrong. I admire the guy, as a bowler. I guess it's just the fruity way it was told. No doubt everyone's going to be disappointed they're told it's over. And I've said this about champion bowlers before, they often don't know when the end is nigh, because they've spent their whole career believing in themselves.

I do feel like Jimmy had a pretty charmed run, I don't see any other country investing in someone until their 42nd birthday. And he was given the Windies series as a swan song. Contrast that with Neil Wagner, who got offered to be a touring drinks boy for his final series and then when there were injuries, he was overlooked for someone outside the squad.

 

[Molehill]

So why is he carrying on like he's been taking out, execution style? It reads laughably. I like him as a bowler but far out, what a diva.

I suspect a lot of the language comes from Felix White who helped him write it. I read Felix's autobiography (he's the guitarist from The Maccabees who loves cricket and does a very popular cricket related podcast with Jimmy and a Radio 1 DJ) and it was quite flowery for fairly nondescript events too.

 

[Molehill]

I do feel like Jimmy had a pretty charmed run, I don't see any other country investing in someone until their 42nd birthday. And he was given the Windies series as a swan song. Contrast that with Neil Wagner, who got offered to be a touring drinks boy for his final series and then when there were injuries, he was overlooked for someone outside the squad.

If the bloke keeps on averaging 20 or so all the way through from about 35-41 he kind of becomes hard to drop.

Anyway, Wagner got treated better at the end of his career than a certain S African who represented England....

 

[Chin Music]

If the bloke keeps on averaging 20 or so all the way through from about 35-41 he kind of becomes hard to drop.

Anyway, Wagner got treated better at the end of his career than a certain S African who represented England....

Do you not think that the 85 he averaged v Australia and 33 v India was what perhaps pushed him out the door? Not that the latter performance was particularly bad. It was more that England clearly need to play a lot more of the younger bowlers and the West Indies series at home was never going to be one that we would miss him. At least not in comparison to the away series back in 2022.

 

[Molehill]

Do you not think that the 85 he averaged v Australia and 33 v India was what perhaps pushed him out the door? Not that the latter performance was particularly bad. It was more that England clearly need to play a lot more of the younger bowlers and the West Indies series at home was never going to be one that we would miss him. At least not in comparison to the away series back in 2022.

It's always with an eye on the Ashes that decisions are made. He clearly wasn't going to go next year so a Summer against WI and SL was a chance to try new talent and probably still win (which is how it panned out). On that front it's worked out pretty well with Atkinson in particular benefitting.

 

[Blenkinsop]

It's always with an eye on the Ashes that decisions are made. He clearly wasn't going to go next year so a Summer against WI and SL was a chance to try new talent and probably still win (which is how it panned out). On that front it's worked out pretty well with Atkinson in particular benefitting.

That would be a more convincing argument if they hadn't then picked Chris Woakes in his place.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

That would be a more convincing argument if they hadn't then picked Chris Woakes in his place.

Chris Woakes batted at 7 against Sri Lanka, I would agree with that sentiment if he were a bunny, but he’s in the team as an all-rounder rather than solely as a bowler

 

[Big_Gun]

I still think they made a mistake in dropping him, he is still by far Englands best bowler. I dont care about age, if he is good enough he is young enough. Why did they keep Woakes? he 36 and unlikely to play the ashes, actually he doesnt even wanna play outside of England.
As a Kiwi I am glad Jimmy is not playing against us later this month.