England vs Sri Lanka: James Anderson admits he felt like 'spare part' on tour of sub-continent

With that typical Lancastrian honesty of his, James Anderson doesn't dress up his view of what has been a breakthrough series win for Joe Root's young, new-look England but a peculiar one for the 36-year-old seamer.

"I feel like a bit of a spare part," he says, "but I think that’s just the nature of playing cricket here."

Anderson played in both the first two Tests, slugging out 41 overs of seam on tracks that were as unhelpful as ever to quick bowlers.

Rather than a spare part though, the Lancashire quick made a key contribution to the team with the bat where he helped England add 101 crucial runs for the tenth-wicket partnership at Pallekele in a match England only won by 57.

Anderson has bowled a lot of overs with minimal help in Sri Lanka (AFP/Getty Images)

After taking a wicket with his second ball of the series, Anderson might have hoped for a little more joy against a Sri Lankan lineup devoid of the stars of yesteryear. As it turns out, that would be his first and final scalp of the tour as he prepares to sit out the third Test in favour of fellow veteran Stuart Broad.

"The wickets that we’ve had have obviously been very suitable for the spin bowlers so it’s frustrating in a way for me not to have as much influence as I would have liked or have done in games elsewhere in the world, but that just the nature of playing out here," he said.

"As frustrating as it’s been for me personally it’s been brilliant to be a part of such a great series for the team.

"Broady’s going to play instead of me. The thinking is that with the series sewn up it’s an opportunity to rotate. Going to the West Indies as well and with a view to that I think the feeling is they want Broady to get some Test cricket under his belt. So it’s going to be a week off.

Stuart Broad has also been forced to watch England's success from the balconies (Getty)

"It’s been a frustrating trip for me really because you want to contribute to the wins but I feel like I’ve tried my best but it’s not really been a series for the seamers."

Anderson spoke before the series of the hope that he could cause some trouble with reverse swing, but that most elusive of techniques only prospers in the right conditions and, in the end, neither Galle nor Pallekele were amenable.

"Because the squares are pretty lush, they get a lot of rain overnight, the outfields - this one is quite soggy at the minute, boggy in parts, so I can’t imagine there ll be too much reverse-swing this week either. So you come out here thinking that’s one weapon you can use but it hasn’t worked out that way.

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"It’s turning square. There’s no pace in the pitch, you don’t feel the nicks really carry, we saw one nick in the last game which was with the new ball and a full-blooded drive at it, but apart from that there’s not been much carry and not much reverse-swing.

"So when you’re not getting lateral movement in the air and nothing off the pitch, you feel a bit like a bowling machine."

And after such an unproductive tour in the sub-continent bowling with the Kookaburra ball, Anderson is also keenly looking forward to being reunited with his old friend the Duke as England look ahead to the Ashes.

"One thing that playing out here has really made me look forward to is

getting a Duke’s back in my hand.

"I’m relishing the English summer, as well. Sometimes when the conditions are a lot more seamer friendly you have to do a lot more bowling and you can feel a bit… you take it for granted.

"But when the conditions are suitable, playing out here makes you appreciate it a bit more."