By Lawrence Booth
Reporting from Sydney
Last updated at 10:40 AM on 2nd January 2011

Leaping to Moores' defend: Anderson believes his former England boss deserves some credit

Jimmy Anderson has praised former coach Peter Moores the day after Kevin Pietersen claimed England would not have retained the Ashes with Moores still in charge.

The England fast bowler said Moores was
instrumental in elevating him to the role of attack
leader after giving Anderson more responsibility on the tour of New Zealand in early 2008.

Less than a year later, the former Sussex coach had been removed from the top job after the insistence of Pietersen, England’s captain at the time, that the team could not move forward with Moores in charge — a view he claimed earlier this week had been borne out by England’s successful Ashes defence.

But Anderson said: ‘Peter Moores wanted me to
lead the attack and gave me more responsibility.
We were in New Zealand and Matthew Hoggard
and Steve Harmison got dropped, and me and
Broady (Stuart Broad) came in.

‘He put a lot of faith in us and gave us a lot of responsibility and I think that’s boosted my confidence.’

The evidence has been there for all to see over the last few weeks, for few players embody England’s transformation from whipping boys four years ago to Ashes victors this time round better than Anderson.

His contribution to England’s 5-0 defeat in 2006-07 was five wickets at 82 apiece — the kind of figures you might expect from an occasional bowler.

Something brewing: Pietersen and Moores - pictured back in November 2008 - didn't see eye to eye

But the 28-year-old goes into tomorrow night’s fifth and final Test in Sydney as the leading wicket-taker in the series with 17, and with a pair of decisive four-wicket hauls in Adelaide and
Melbourne under his belt.

Anderson said: ‘We’re taking the Ashes home with us and we now have a great chance of winning
the series. Four years ago was a completely different story and, if I’m honest, my worst memory in cricket.

‘To lose 5-0 in any series is pretty disheartening, but when it’s in an Ashes series it’s even worse. But four years ago is a long time ago, and we have such a different side and squad now. We concentrate more on the last 12 to 18 months and the things we’ve done really well.’

As well as praising Moores, now his county coach at Lancashire, Anderson said his development had been accelerated by the specialist fast-bowling coaches England have used in recent times.

‘Ottis Gibson was fantastic and Allan Donald was in there for a bit and someone I really enjoyed
working with,’ he said.

‘Now David Saker has been brilliant and we’re learning some good skills. In the four games so far we’ve been able to seam and swing the ball so we can reverse it.’

Victory: Pietersen and Prior (right) celebrate winning the fourth Test at the MCG

Anderson, who played a large part in the dismantling of Ricky Ponting by removing the Australia captain cheaply in the first innings of each of the first three Tests, has also learned not to shy away from confrontation.

Some observers have mocked his efforts to intimidate the home side’s batsmen, but there is little doubt Anderson has at the very least got under Australian skins. And the tactic has been a deliberate one.

Guidance: Anderson practises his bowling in Abu Dhabi two years ago as Moores looks on

‘Body language is a huge thing, certainly as a bowler,’ he said. ‘You don’t want to be seen trudging back to your mark so I try and keep my shoulders back and be as positive as possible. In the past I’ve been pretty average in that aspect.

‘It’s just part of my natural game. It really gets me fired up if the time is right. I don’t always do it and I pick the players as well as I possibly can.’

As the only England seamer to have played in all four Tests so far, Anderson has shouldered the largest workload of any player in the series bar Graeme Swann.

But he was quick to praise his team-mates’ efforts in a series in which England’s bowlers have claimed 70 wickets to Australia’s 46. Anderson said: ‘It just shows what strength we have in the squad. We knew how dangerous Chris Tremlett could be on the Australian pitches and he’s proved that.

‘And Tim Bresnan said he bowled like an old pro — and that’s exactly what he did. He was very solid and very skilful in the second innings in Melbourne with the reverse swing. Broady was a big loss but it just shows we have guys to cover him.’

If England avoid defeat at the SCG, Anderson may even allow himself a well-earned pat on the back.