Game Recognises Game! Legendary Pacer Recalls Copying Ashes Rival's Bowling Action

Legendary English pacer admits to copying Ashes rival's bowling action and gets success in a Test in Galle, Sri Lanka.

Australian cricket team during their tour to India in 2023 for 4-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. (Image Credits: PTI)

Source : PTI

Australia Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins often receives laudits and praises from cricket experts, fans, former and current cricket players for his performances on a cricket field– be it with bat, bowl or his captaincy. However, learning that the fast bowler with the most Test wickets in cricket history attempted to emulate Cummins' bowling action is particularly noteworthy, even by his own standards.

Veteran England bowler James Anderson recently shared his admiration for Australia's Pat Cummins. Anderson revealed that he is a fan of Cummins' bowling action and recounted an incident where mimicking Cummins' technique helped him break out of a performance slump and even secure a wicket.

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James Anderson Hails Pat Cummins' Bowling Action

James Anderson, speaking on the Tailenders podcast, praised Pat Cummins' bowling action. He recalled a Test match in Galle, Sri Lanka, where feeling stiff after lunch, he decided to mimic Cummins' technique. Interestingly, Anderson took a wicket in that over, prompting Mark Wood to suggest he adopt Cummins' style more consistently.

“I really like Pat Cummins' action. There was a Test match in Galle in Sri Lanka where I was feeling really stiff after lunch. Mark Wood was at mid-off and I said: "I'm going to copy Pat Cummins' action now and try to bowl like him." I got a wicket in that over and Woody said: "You should bowl like him all the time," James Anderson says on the podcast.

James Anderson highlighted Pat Cummins' dynamic bowling style, noting his quick snap through the crease during his delivery. Feeling stiff and sluggish himself, Anderson tried to emulate Cummins' speed and found success with it.

“He's got an amazing snap. When he gets to the top of his action, everything seems to go really quick. When he bowls the ball, he just snaps through the crease. Because I was feeling stiff and a bit sluggish, I was trying to recreate that speed and it worked,” says the England bowler.

Anderson is set to play his 188th and final Test match during the Lord’s Test against the West Indies, starting from July 10 (Wednesday). He has taken 700 wickets in 187 Test matches and  stands third in the list of highest wicket-takers in Test cricket, trailing only Muthiah Muralidaran and Shane Warne.