Jimmy Anderson said he felt additional pressure when he took the new ball at the end that now carries his name but was delighted to end the day with four victims to leave him one away from a maiden Test five-wicket haul on his home ground. The 35-year-old said he could not care less who closes out the South Africa innings as England continue on their path towards a 3-1 series win.
“I felt like I couldn’t bowl badly,” said Anderson, whose figures of four for 33 included a game-breaking spell of three for six in 20 balls. “It feels very strange still to hear it being announced. But I’m thrilled by the honour and it’s nice to get some wickets.
“It would be great to get my first five at Old Trafford but it will be tough because Stuart Broad will have the ball in his hand in the morning. We’ll have to see if he lets me have the [James Anderson] end in the morning. But I just want that last wicket, I don’t care who gets it.
“The atmosphere was fantastic today, the crowd are absolutely amazing all day – if well-oiled by the end – and it is a brilliant place to play when it’s like that.”
Anderson’s day was not just about his removal of Dean Elgar before lunch, lbw third ball, nor the quickfire treble after tea, but a morning alliance with Jonny Bairstow that added 50 runs for the final wicket, albeit with the wicketkeeper the last man out for 99.
“We took a lot of momentum from our batting into the field and there was a good feel in the group, thinking we could get early wickets,” said Anderson. “I quite liked that pitch, there was something there – not just movement but some up and down too. You felt in the game and your confidence is up, even if you leak a few runs.”
Bairstow, who became the 15th England batsman out one short of his century and the first since Kevin Pietersen seven years ago, said: “I’ve joined a pretty special club. I was pretty annoyed but if someone offered it after starting on 33 you would take it.
“I kicked myself as it’s twice in the 90s in my career and you want your end column ticking over. But to put us in a position to press forward, take the final wicket and kick on with the bat is huge because we’ve seen the pitch is changing.”
