England's James Anderson has revealed that his failure to take any wickets during the second Ashes Test at Lord's spurred him on going into the Edgbaston meeting with Australia.
The hosts responded to their hammering at Lord's on day one of the third Test today, with Anderson leading the charge as the Baggy Greens were bowled out for 136.
Anderson took six of those wickets himself on the way to his best figures in an Ashes Test, and he revealed after close of play that the chastening nature of the Lord's Test acted as inspiration.
"I've done some work with (bowling coach) Ottis [Gibson] which has really helped - especially after a game when you don't get any wickets," he told reporters.
"He thought that I was just putting the ball there during the Lord's game... [so] I worked on finishing my action a bit more. After getting no wickets, obviously the confidence takes a bit of a hit. But what it does do is make you more determined to get wickets and bowl better.
"I knew I could have bowled better than I did at Lord's. So after the work that I'd done, and the week off, I felt my confidence was pretty high. My job is to take wickets, set the tone with the new ball, try to make it move if I can."
England finished the day on 133-3, just three runs behind the tourists.
Barney Corkhill
