We needn’t tame Jimmy’s temper, says Alastair Cook

Manchester: England skipper Alastair Cook defended James Anderson, who could have been banned for four Test matches, and does not believe he needs to tame his aggressive approach.

“There’s always that muddy line,” Cook said. “He needs that for his bowling. The way he bowled at Southampton (in the third Test) was incredible.”

Anderson finished with match figures of 7-77 in the third match at the Rose Bowl, which England won by 266 runs for its first Test victory in almost a year.

He is now only 12 wickets behind Ian Botham’s record England wicket tally of 383 and Cook believes Anderson will surpass that figure easily.

“I’m pretty sure he’ll be England’s leading wicket taker very soon,” Cook said. “That is an outstanding achievement. He is a very different personality when he crosses the line which I don’t think anyone should moan about. What happens on the field should stay on the field. He is the best English bowler I have seen.”