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England must put Ashes highs behind them: Anderson

SYDNEY - England will find it difficult to put the highs of retaining the Ashes behind them but are determined to win next week’s fifth test and claim the series outright, Jimmy Anderson said on Friday.

By (Reuters)

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Published: Fri 31 Dec 2010, 10:23 AM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 2:26 AM

The seamer has been a key figure in the tourists taking a 2-1 lead in the series to ensure, as holders, that they will return home with the famous urn for the first time since 1986-87. With such a long period since England’s last triumph, and the bitter memory of the 5-0 whitewash still in many of the players’ minds, however, Anderson said winning the Sydney test would be hugely significant.

“When I was growing up as a kid watching us come over here and struggle, then being involved in 2006-7, that was really tough,” he told reporters in Melbourne before England left for Sydney.

“So all of us want to go home with a winning series, not just retaining the Ashes, we’re not going to settle for that now.

“We’ve still got a 24-year record that we want to put to bed and we’re not going to settle for a 2-2 series.”

“It’s going to pretty tough to put the highs that we had in Melbourne behind us and then move on to Sydney,” he added.

Anderson, the only England seamer to have played in all four tests, said he was feeling in pretty good shape for Sydney despite the rigours of bowling so much in Australia.

“I’ve bowled quite a lot of overs in the series in a reasonably short space of time but my body’s feeling pretty good so I’m confident I’ll be fit for Sydney,” he said.

“I love the responsibility that I’ve got, opening the bowling and leading the attack.”

The fifth test begins at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday.