Boycott critical of England's Anderson

James Anderson, statistically at least, is England's greatest bowler.

His 430 Test wickets put him well ahead of the rest, Ian Botham trailing in second place on 383.

Indeed, of the all-time great seamers only Richard Hadlee, Kapil Dev, Courtney Walsh and Glenn McGrath stand ahead of him.

Yet his miserable tour of South Africa has led many to question whether, at the age of 33, Anderson is approaching the end of the road as far as his career is concerned.

With one innings to go, Anderson has taken just four wickets at an average of 63.50.

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South Africa captain AB De Villiers, speaking on the eve of this final Test at Centurion, suggested Anderson's pace has dropped significantly. 

The inference was that this great old stager of the international scene was past it.

Anderson's performance at Centurion – he did eventually take a wicket when dismissing Kagiso Rabada lbw on the second morning – suggests De Villiers may have a point.

That was backed up yesterday morning by voluble Yorkshireman and former England captain Geoffrey Boycott on BBC's Test Match Special.

Never one to be short of an opinion, Boycott said: "Anderson looks way off the pace. He's medium pace – he's lost the nip. He needs to go back to Lancashire and play most of those County Championship matches in April. I'm not so sure he will do it again for England overseas.

"He's such a fit young man and really talented. But he really needs to get in rhythm. When you're older it takes longer to pick it up after you've been out for a while. That's the problem when you get to 33."

The key phrase amongst Boycott's words was “I'm not so sure he will do it overseas again”.

When Anderson returns to the home comforts of Lord's, Durham and Headingley for the opening Test series of the English summer against Sri Lanka he is almost certain to take a hatful of wickets in conditions which are likely to be cloudy and freezing cold (it would be a brave man who attempts watching a game of cricket at Durham in May without a ski jacket).

When Pakistan visit England later in the northern summer for four Tests, Anderson is again likely to clean up.

Many Australian fans, though, will argue he has never done it overseas. 

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Anderson's first Ashes foray in 2006/07 saw him take five wickets at 82.60. 

First impressions last and all that. 

However, in his next away Ashes series in 2010/11, he upped his game significantly, Anderson the leading wicket-taker with 24 at 26.04.

But his third trip to the Antipodes went much like the first, 14 wickets at 43.29 during yet another whitewash for England.

In home series against Australia Anderson has, unsurprisingly, a better overall record, averaging under 30 in two of the three series from 2009 to last year.

But what is his overall record away from England like? 

Well, his career average across Tests was, before this match, 29.28.

Overseas it is marginally higher – 33.29.

He is not, as the perceived wisdom may believe, simply a home-track bully who has boosted his stats with plentiful wickets at swing-friendly venues like Trent Bridge.

And what of the notion that Anderson's powers are on the wane? 

Well, in the past 12 months he has taken 50 wickets at 25.92, suggesting he is in as good a form currently as he has ever been.

Players are allowed to have one bad series. 

The real Test as to whether this is a one-off will be later on this year when England play a brutal seven Tests on back-to-back tours of Bangladesh and India. 

Anderson is unlikely to play the first of those, but, injury permitting, he will certainly play the five Tests in India and that is enough to take its toll on the greatest of seam bowlers.