Ashes 2019: Joe Root insists Jimmy Anderson was fit for England as ‘brilliant’ Australia take series lead
Anderson bowled four overs in the first session before taking no further part in the field due to injury, leaving England a bowler light
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Your support makes all the difference.Joe Root revealed Jimmy Anderson passed all of England’s fitness tests before getting injured early in the first session of the first Test in their crushing 251-run defeat against Australia.
England were a bowler short and twice struggled to get Steve Smith out, who became the fifth person to score an Ashes century in the first and second innings, clearly missing their all-time leading Test wicket taker throughout.
Anderson picked up a calf injury while playing county cricket ahead of the series so did not feature in the warm-up match against Ireland and as a result only managed to bowl four overs.
“It was a group decision to select him,” said Root, who added that his injury in the game was not expected.
"He passed every fitness Test, we went about it how you normally would. It's one of those freak things, he pulled up in the middle of a game. The other bowlers work extremely hard to take it up but we weren't able to build enough pressure.
"It's easy in hindsight - Jimmy went through every medical check absolutely fine and it was a unanimous decision from all parties. Sometimes things go against you and you have to find a way of getting through the game. It was a fantastic effort considering we were a bowler down and we have to not dwell on it.
"We miss a bowler of Jimmy's calibre. He has a fantastic record on this ground and against Australia in England. We are still very capable of taking wickets and being more competitive than we were here in the rest of the series."
Anderson had a scan on Thursday and England will now decide whether to hand Jofra Archer his first Test cap in the upcoming Lord's Test in his place.
"We are not sure (about him playing at Lord's). We have to wait and see how the scans come back," said Root.
"We will have to wait and see how Jofra (Archer) shapes up as well. He's going away to play some cricket, we don't have to make any shotgun decisions in terms of selection.
"We have plenty of time before that next Test. It's really important that we are very clear on how we want to go."
England have not lost a Test match at Edgbaston since 2008 and Australia last tasted victory in Birmingham in 2001.
"It does hurt. It is bitterly disappointing,” Root said of the result. “We played really good cricket in the majority of the Test match. Credit to Australia. They fought hard to get back in it.
"[Steve Smith played] two brilliant innings. We have to keep working hard to get him out. Obviously it was hard that we lost Jimmy early on. These things happen. We have to take it on the chin and come back hard at Lords.”
England had to score a record 398 runs in their final innings to win or retain all their wickets on the final day to salvage a draw, but Australia ripped through the side in less than four hours of play, dismissing England for 146.
"It's frustrating, I thought we could get through the day,” Root added on BBC TMS. "Australia bowled really well - the majority of dismissal we were got out. We have to take it on the chin and come back hard at Lord's.
"We got ourselves in a really strong position with them at 122-8 but credit to Steve Smith, he batted exceptionally well through the Test match.
"But even after the first innings we were in a good position and it's one of those things where we have to have to have a look and we have to respond better in those positions."
Player of the match Smith, who was featuring in his first Test match since his ban for the sandpaper scandal 18 months ago, said his first century was one of his most important knocks.
"The first 100 was pretty emotional,” he said. “I had to take a few deep breaths and take it in. It was a pretty special moment, probably almost as special as my first hundred for Australia. Hopefully I can keep contributing throughout the series.
"It’s been a long 18 months for me and my family and friends and they helped me through it back home. I'm really thankful for that. I don't know if it's really sunk in yet.
"It's been a hell of a six weeks. I've really enjoyed playing here in the World Cup then this Ashes series is the ultimate challenge for an Australian and English cricketer."
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