At one point or another in his epic 20-year international career, Anderson fulfilled both those roles and many more besides. It seems fanciful that England could turn back to Anderson, as he turns 44 in July. But he remains a true marvel, and his four for 51 in Bristol leaves him with 21 wickets at just 12.1 this summer.
Gloucestershire were the only team to lose their first two matches of the season and, having been raided by other counties – including Lancashire – over the winter, appeared destined for a very long campaign. But staring down a heavy defeat, they showed true spirit on the third day at Bristol, with James Bracey’s 114, which included century stands with Miles Hammond and debutant Tommy Boorman, helped them to 305, which set Lancashire 202 to win. By stumps, Lancashire were 75 for three needing 127 more.
Without Anderson, it would have been much worse for promotion-chasing Lancashire. After George Balderson prised out Boorman, Anderson dismissed Graeme van Buuren with the new ball, then Bracey – once an England team-mate – to end Gloucestershire’s hopes of setting a big target. Next ball, he had Henry Brookes caught behind. Balderson completed a collapse of six for 22 to finish with nine wickets in the match.
Baker, the 23-year-old Devonian, proved once more that he has a happy habit of taking wickets in clusters. In the victory over Yorkshire last week, he took three wickets in a single over, and against Somerset, his former county, three more wickets gave Hampshire hope. Somerset had made an assured start of their chase of 287 on a flat pitch, when Baker bounced out Archie Vaughan in his first over. In his third, a yorker pinned Josh Thomas lbw, and in his fourth, Tom Lammonby was also dismissed by Baker’s short ball.