Jimmy Anderson is ‘far from finished’ and will want to prove he’s still at the top of his game in this summer’s Ashes, according to former paceman Devon Malcolm.

The Burnley Express, now 36, is the most successful fast bowler in Test history and a shared haul of 1,012 scalps with Stuart Broad make them the best-ever opening partnership.

But Anderson will have a watching brief until August as England pursue history as hosts of the Cricket World Cup.

Malcolm reckons the swing king will be spoiling for the Ashes scrap as the five-match tussle follows hot on the heels of the global gathering.

 “Anderson and Broad will be chomping at the bit when their time comes,” said Malcolm, “They are going to be sitting watching the World Cup and hoping the guys do well, waiting in the wings for the Ashes.

“Anderson is still one of best swing bowlers, especially in English conditions and Broad was getting things going in the West Indies.

“They will be working on things because they are far from finished. These guys still want to play for a lot longer.

“It will make these guys sit up and ask what they we do to make it a perfect summer - it’s win the Ashes as well.

“They want to get the Ashes back, there’s no doubt about that.”

Malcolm wrote his own name into Test folklore with a searing spell of 9/57 against South Africa at the Oval in 1994, then the sixth-best innings figure in the history of the game.

The speed sensation was a stalwart of the domestic scene at Derbyshire, while Lancashire have only sporadically benefitted from Anderson’s services.

Anderson has been released for the Red Rose’s opening County Championship Division Two game against Middlesex at Lord’s and is likely to feature heavily at the start of the summer.

Malcolm says the workloads of England’s attack leaders will be carefully managed ahead of the August series.

“They play more test cricket now than in my time,” said Malcolm, who holds 40 Test caps.

“You probably did not play as many Tests but we had play a hell of a lot of county cricket.

“You used to play a lot of games leading into the Test matches.

“What these boys get leading into a Test series, they will play county cricket to keep their fitness up and keep their skills going.

“It’s not long before the coaches are telling you to ease off and only bowl 15 or 20 overs in a day – we didn’t have that option!”

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