James Anderson may be unable to participate in the Boxing Day Test after he reported tightness in his right calf on the eve of the upcoming Test series against South Africa.
Anderson, England's highest wicket-taker in Tests conveyed the issue to the management on Monday evening and underwent a scan on Tuesday morning. ECB’s medical staff in England will evaluate the scan before a definite decision is taken on his involvement in the Test. The decision is likely to be made after Thursday.
Even if Anderson is cleared of any serious problem by the medical staff, it is highly unlikely that he will be risked in the first Test. There are only two days between the first and second Tests and the team management will be apprehensive of worsening the problem.
Anderson is also underprepared for the first Test that is to be played in high temperatures. He has bowled only five overs in match situations on the tour so far and, although the England camp were happy with the idea of him coming into the first Test fresh after a long vacation, but they planned for him to bowl all out in training on the days leading up to the match.
Coach Trevor Bayliss said that it was unfortunate that Anderson will miss out on the first Test and the team will have to look after him as he hasn’t bowled too many overs leading into the tour, "Unfortunately he hasn't been able to bowl a lot of overs on this tour," Bayliss said.
On his lead bowler missing the first game. Bayliss said it is always a concern, but he wasn’t going to make any predictions on if he was fit to play, "It's always a concern if your leading bowler or leading batter misses a game somewhere, but the last time he missed one we did pretty well. You never know, I won't make any predictions, though."
Anderson was aware of tightness in his calf since the start of the tour but felt the situation worsen after attempting to bowl in training on Monday afternoon.
Second highest number of overs in Tests since 2012
Anderson, 33 and a veteran of 110 Tests, was also forced out of the Ashes series earlier this year at the halfway point due to a side strain. He missed the final two Tests having been forced off the pitch mid-over during the third Test at Edgbaston.
While his long-term fitness record remains exceptional, since the start of 2012, only Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath has bowled more overs in international cricket than him.
Although Stuart Broad performed brilliantly in his absence in the Ashes Test at Trent Bridge, Anderson was immaculate during the recent tour of the UAE. In conditions which offered him almost nothing, he conceded fewer than two runs an over and claimed his 13 wickets - more than any pacer on either side during the Pakistan tour.
It is likely that Chris Woakes, who played the last of his four Tests against India at The Oval in August 2014, could gain the opportunity to partner Stuart Broad, Steven Finn and Ben Stokes in England's four-man seam attack in the absence of Anderson.
Woakes was named in the side, but Finn proved his fitness ahead of schedule during the tour match at Pietermaritzburg and underwent a long session of bowling immediately after England wrapped up a victory against South Africa A on Tuesday.
England's preparation for the Test series against South Africa had appeared to be progressing unusually smoothly. They crushed the South Africa A side by an innings in their final warm-up game and, with Finn proving his fitness in order to improve the bowling attack, there have been runs for all the top six and wickets for the spinner, Moeen Ali. Concern over Anderson may take much of the luster off such a seemingly encouraging start England has had.
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