Jimmy gets royal seal
England quick James Anderson got a royal endorsement of his efforts as he played a key role in making Australia struggle during the second Ashes Test here at Lord's on Friday.
Anderson made 29 with the bat during a last-wicket stand of 47 that helped propel England to a first innings total of 425.
He then took two wickets before lunch, including the prize scalp of Australia captain Ricky Ponting for just two, on his way to Test-best figures against England's oldest foes of four wickets for 36 runs in 17 overs.
Australia at stumps had collapsed to 156 for eight, still needing another 70 runs to avoid the follow-on at a ground where they last lost a Test in 1934.
At lunch the teams lined up in front of the Pavilion to be presented to Queen Elizabeth II, monarch of both Britain and Australia, and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
Anderson said that while the Queen did not say anything to him the Duke, a former president of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns Lord's, had stopped for a word.
"I got a well done from Philip, he mentioned I'd had a good morning," the modest Anderson told reporters.
Reflecting on the state of the game, he said: "It's been a good couple of days for us as a team.
"After Cardiff [where Australia piled up 674 for six declared], we had a long chat, we knew we hadn't bowled well enough but we executed our plans better today," Anderson, 26, explained.
Anderson, who bats left-handed but bowls right, said getting to 400, when England had been 378 for nine, was a significant milestone for the team.
"It gave us some extra momentum and confidence. I felt good with the bat, I've been working hard and it's starting to pay off a little bit.
"Everyone wanted to start afresh [after Cardiff). We got out of jail a little bit and we didn't want to waste that."
Several Australia batsmen got out trying to pull. Anderson said that in some cases there had been a deliberate plan but in others England had frustrated the batsmen into making an error.
"For a couple of their guys we decided on the short ball, for a couple we bowled tight. Marcus North [out for nought), we dried him up for runs."
Ponting had made a superb 150 in Cardiff but here Anderson exploited his tendency to play around his front pad early in his innings.
But there was some controversy attached to his exit. Anderson appealed initially for lbw but the ball carried to England captain Andrew Strauss at first slip.
On-field umpires Rudi Koertzen and Billy Doctrove referred the appeal to TV official Nigel Llong, only empowered to rule if the catch was fair.
He did and Ponting had to go, although replays suggested the ball had missed his bat.
"I was originally going up for lbw," Anderson said. "There were two noises there. The other guys were going for the catch and Straussy was alert enough to take it."
Known as a swing bowler, Anderson insisted England had not received excessive help from the cloud cover which eventually enveloped the ground.
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