‘India's refusal to play in Manchester denied James Anderson a final hurrah': David Lloyd after 5th Test cancelled
David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd drew the attention towards how Anderson, who might never play a Test at Old Trafford, a ground that has one end named after him as India ‘refused’ to play the fifth Test in Manchester.
Former England cricketer David Lloyd said India's ‘refusal’ to play the fifth and final Test at Old Trafford in Manchester might have denied England legend James Anderson his last chance to play at the venue. The final match of the five-Test series was postponed indefinitely hours before its scheduled beginning on Friday due to Covid-19 fears in the Indian camp. ECB and BCCI released statements confirming that the Manchester Test was cancelled and not ‘forfeited’ by India, which meant ECB faces a possibility of incurring a hefty financial loss.
David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd, however drew the attention towards how Anderson, who might never play a Test at Old Trafford, a ground that has one end named after him.
“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.
Lloyd was quick to add that Anderson, the current highest wicket-taker of the world among active cricketers, can surprise anyone by continuing to play for another couple of years.
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"He might not make another England appearance at his home of Emirates Old Trafford, although if you know Jimmy, you will realise there will be no fuss. The lad’s from Burnley - they don’t do fuss.
“They’re tough people from his neck of the woods and he won’t want a fanfare,” Lloyd added.
Anderson was in top form in the first three Tests of the series against India. He was one of main reasons why India captain Virat Kohli was kept quiet in the series and India's top-order despite the great efforts of KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma, had their fair share of troubles against the new ball.
"In fact, it tells you something about him that I wouldn’t have expected him to play in this game because he will have been in the red zone.
“But 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.
‘You don’t play if you don’t practise as a team the day before’: Lloyd
India did not practice on the eve of the Manchester Test after assistant physio Yogesh Parmar tested positive. Lloyd said the writing was on the wall then and there.
"So, at 7pm on Thursday when the announcement came from the ECB that the game was on, I said to Mrs Lloyd: ‘There will be a twist to this yet.’
"What made me so sure? Well, when India didn’t turn up to practise earlier that day it showed their hand. It said to me: ‘We ain’t playing.’
“You don’t play if you don’t practise as a team the day before,” he added.
BCCI, meanwhile, have offered to reschedule the cancelled Test which opened up the discussion of a one-off Test between the two sides when India tour England again next year for a limited-overs series.