No end in sight for Test cricket's most prolific bowler, who will enter rare air during his seventh Ashes campaign
Mr. Anderson plugged in for another Ashes dream
The end of a men's Ashes series has been a popular time for players to announce their retirement, but do not expect England veteran James Anderson to follow convention.
To name a few, Sir Donald Bradman played the last of his 52 Tests against England in 1948, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath bid farewell in 2006-07 and Michael Clarke called time in 2015.
But Anderson, who turned 37 on Tuesday, has shown no signs of wanting to step away, according to his captain Joe Root.
"I think he gets better with age, he really does," Root said in Birmingham on Tuesday ahead of the first Ashes Test.
"He wants to keep going. He's had a couple of niggles over the last couple of years but every time he's come back stronger.
"You look at the workload he had over in Australia (in 2017-18, where he took 17 wickets in five Tests) for example, I think he proved a point out there.
"He was by far our best seamer throughout the course of the five games, and the last couple of years in England he's proven to be very difficult to come up against.
"Although it might be his birthday, he seems to continue to keep that desire and hunger and no signs of slowing down."
Anderson, who is set to play in his seventh Ashes campaign, said in March that not featuring in limited-overs cricket has prolonged his career.
"I feel as good as I ever have," he told Sky Sports. "With me not playing one-day cricket over the last few years, it gives me that extra time to work on my fitness and stay fresh.
"I never really look too far ahead but I have no plans to finish up anytime soon.
"I will take it series by series and see what happens."
Anderson looks set to return to England's Test XI after missing last week's clash with Ireland having failed to sufficiently recover from a calf injury he picked up playing for county side Lancashire earlier this month.
The right-armer, who is Test cricket's most prolific fast bowler with 575 wickets in 148 Tests, has trained the house down in limited opportunities in Birmingham where rain has disrupted preparations for both sides.
Anderson bowled outdoors on Monday and Wednesday and was made to sprint at top pace early in the week to prove his fitness for the Ashes series opener, which kicks off at 8pm AEST on Thursday.
Image Id: 3721E8FC24D543748A7A9FCAF1B413A9 Image Caption: Anderson has been put through his paces this week // GettyShould he play at Edgbaston, Anderson enters rare air as an England quick playing in an Ashes series beyond his 37th birthday.
And only a handful of specialist England fast bowlers have taken an Ashes wicket at that ripe age, with legendary seamer SF Barnes snagging 39 wickets in eight matches more than a century ago.
Anderson and his partner-in-crime Stuart Broad have combined for 1019 Test wickets and their partnership is a major factor in why Australia have not won the Ashes in England since 2001, according to former Test captain Steve Waugh.
"From England’s point of view, opening bowling combinations have played a big part in that," Waugh said when asked why Australia have not won the fragile urn in 18 years on English soil.
"They have guys with 1000 Test wickets between them, Broad and Anderson, so anyone with that in their attack is going to win Test matches.
"They’ve played a big part.
"There have been some close series. Australia has fancied their chances a couple of times and some batting collapses have cost them in the past.
"That’s something the guys have looked at for this series. They are aware that they can’t afford those sorts of lapses.
"But I think it’s just professional sport. England have had a very good squad.
"They’re competitive but we haven’t won the big moments and that’s something we have to do this series."
2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England
Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.
England squad: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
First Test: August 1-5,Edgbaston
Tour match: Australians v Worcestershire, August 7-9
Second Test: August 14-18,Lord's
Third Test: August 22-26, Headingley
Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31
Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford
Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval