28 Feb 2011

Strauss defends Anderson

Bangalore - England skipper Andrew Strauss has defended James Anderson, after the struggling fast bowler returned the worst World Cup bowling figures for an English player.

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Anderson's 9.5 overs against India in Sunday's tied match cost 91 runs and yielded just one wicket, topping Derek Pringle's none for 83 against the West Indies at Gujranwala in 1987.

"Opening the bowling out here is hard work, and bowling most of your overs in powerplay is not easy," Strauss said of Anderson.

"Jimmy's got a lot of skills. Anyone who writes a guy of that quality off is pretty naive."

Anderson also bowled 10 wicketless overs against the Dutch for 72 runs in England's opening win.

England went into Sunday's Group B match without Stuart Broad, who was confined to bed with stomach trouble.

But England, who next tackle Ireland in Bangalore on Wednesday, were boosted by Tim Bresnan's career-best 5-48 in India's total of 338.

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