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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Dean Wilson

James Anderson happy to sit out against Ireland to make sure he is ready for Ashes

James Anderson has all but ruled himself out of the Ireland Test to make sure he is fit and firing for the Ashes that follows.

The 40-year-old pace bowler revealed that the groin strain he suffered playing for Lancashire against Somerset last week was classed as a ‘ten day’ injury which is why he is so confident of playing a full part in England’s Test plans.

But pushing himself for a four day Ireland Test that doesn’t feature in the World Test Championship is a risk he doesn’t need to take when the Aussies are next on the agenda just a couple of weeks later.

And having missed all but seven overs of the last Ashes series at home in 2019 with a calf injury, Anderson is desperate to make sure he takes a full part this time.

“I think I will be fit for the Ireland game,” said Anderson at the launch of the ECB’s partnership with Radox. “Whether I play or not is probably another matter really. I definitely don’t want to risk it.

“It is a little groin strain. A 10-day recovery period, and I’m rehabbing already, running next week. It was the best result of a bad situation. I am desperate to be fit for the first Ashes Test. If that means missing the Ireland Test, so be it.

“I was disappointed to have to pull out of a game but with what’s to come in the summer it was actually a pretty good result. In 2019 I had a different injury, a more serious injury. I ripped my calf earlier that summer, and it was a real push to try to get fit for that first Test. I don’t feel like this is anywhere near that severity.

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