Anderson in doubt for first Test

England seam bowler James Anderson is in doubt for the first Test against South Africa in Durban starting on Boxing Day after suffering tightness in his right calf yesterday.

Anderson went for scans on his right leg yesterday morning while his England teammates trained at Kingsmead, and will be given until Thursday to prove his fitness for the series opener.

The issue surfaced in England's three-day tour match against a South Africa Invitational XI in Potchefstroom at the start of the tour, but the right-armer bowled in both innings, albeit only five overs in total.

The 33-year-old was rested for England's second tour match, another three-day contest against South Africa A in which the visitors won by an innings and 91 runs in Pietermaritzburg.

Anderson bowled at lunch out in the middle on the second day of that match and fielded as 12th man before the calf issue took hold when he was bowling in the nets.

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Anderson (right) in the Pietermaritzburg nets // Getty Images

A side strain ruled Anderson out of the final two Ashes Tests in the winter immediately after he’d taken 6-47 at Edgbaston, but he returned to play in all three Tests against Pakistan in the UAE in October and early November, taking 13 wickets at 16 to be England's leading bowler on the unsuccessful tour.

Chris Woakes, who was left out of the tour match against South Africa A, is the likely replacement for Anderson should the veteran fail to be fit in time.

Woakes would partner Stuart Broad, Steven Finn and Ben Stokes to form a four-pronged pace attack, with allrounder Moeen Ali to carry the mantle as the sole spinner.

Anderson, England's all-time leading Test wicket-taker, broke through the 400 wickets barrier against New Zealand in the Test series that preceded the Ashes, and currently owns 426 scalps in 110 matches. 

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