Jimmy Anderson conceded his on-field behaviour was “out of order” during the second day at Edgbaston and the England fast bowler apologised after stumps for a running verbal battle with the umpires that could result in him being hit with a disciplinary charge.
Anderson was given two official warnings for following through on the protected area of the pitch – a third and he will be barred from bowling for the remainder of Pakistan’s first innings – but it was his reaction to this which could mean he is reprimanded by the ICC match referee, Richie Richardson.
The 34-year-old Anderson claimed one of only three wickets to fall on the second day when removing the opener Mohammad Hafeez for a duck with the fourth ball of the morning. But his mood soon deteriorated and he snatched his jumper out of the hands of the umpire Joel Wilson after being advised during his first spell that he was encroaching on the middle of the pitch.
A switch to the City End after lunch did not bring a change of mood – something immediately compounded by Joe Root dropping Azhar Ali on 38 at second slip off the fourth ball of the session – and in the 68th over, during Anderson’s third spell of the day, Bruce Oxenford issued the two official warnings for running on the pitch.
Anderson made his frustration with Oxenford clear at the time and while he later apologised, he may still have to hand over a portion of his match fee by way of a fine if Richardson, the former West Indies captain who is overseeing his first Test series as a referee, decides to charge him under the ICC code of conduct.
“I had a bad half hour where I let things get to me,” said Anderson. “I know I was out of order for the way I behaved up to that point. It wasn’t acceptable and it was petulant.
“Having seen my reactions on TV it doesn’t look great. I apologised to the umpires and hopefully that will be the end of it.”
Anderson was removed from the attack by the umpire Aleem Dar for running on the pitch during the third Test with South Africa in Johannesburg over the winter and while he conceded it remains a minor problem in his game, he insists he does not want to lose his fiery nature on the field.
“That competitive edge has helped me throughout my career and at times I can get close to that line,” he said. “I try and control it but I don’t want to lose my edge. It’s a balancing act.”
On Root’s drop, which allowed Azhar to plough on for his 10th Test century and his first outside Asia, Anderson said: “It probably added to [the frustration] but you have to deal with things in cricket.
“You won’t get every catch taken and there will be times when the opposition play well.”
Azhar, who edged to slip to end his innings on 139 off the final ball of the day from Chris Woakes, put on 181 for the second wicket with the opener Sami Aslam.
He offered an apology of his own, after his poorly judged single led to the 20-year-old being run out on 82 when appearing on course for his maiden Test hundred.
Azhar said: “It’s a dream of any player to score a century in England, it’s very pleasing. Unfortunately I didn’t finish it off but it’s still a good day for us. Sami was batting wonderfully and giving me confidence at the other end.
“I told him ‘carry on what you are doing’ but unfortunately I ran him out. It was disappointing, he was quite near to his century and runs were coming easily. I really feel bad for that and for him.”
