James Anderson Banks On Reverse Swing For Wickets In Sri Lanka

James Anderson hopes the tour of Sri Lanka this time will prove more fruitful for him than in previous years as he looks to exploit reverse swing and movement with the new ball.

Anderson has taken just 12 wickets in 11 innings of six Tests in Sri Lanka. He has bowled just 176.4 overs - 16 overs per innings on average in Sri Lanka which is lower than the 19.3 overs per innings he has bowled in his career.

England and Sri Lanka play two Test matches, both in Galle, the first of which begins on January 14.

"Going on the last couple of tours, spin has been a huge part of a success," Anderson told the media on Monday.

"The wickets have really suited the spinners, but we have a good pace attack here. You're still in the game. There are still opportunities to take wickets. There's reverse swing; the new ball does swing. I've had some success at Galle before as have some of the other seamers. It's not all doom and gloom," he said.

Anderson is the first pace bowler to take 600 Test wickets and is just 20 short of overtaking Anil Kumble and becoming the third-highest wicket-taker in Test history behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne.

He says that pace bowlers may have to bowl shorter spells but they will still get a chance to take wickets.

"We've got to be ready to put in a big shift over these next two Tests. Our job might be about shorter spells and fewer overs in the day but there are definitely still opportunities to take wickets."