Anderson admits ECB doctored pitches to suit them during Ashes

Leeds, Sep 10 - England fast bowler James Anderson has admitted the England Cricket Board (ECB) doctored the pitches during the Ashes series, also adding that they should feel no shame about doing it more often in the future.

The dusty wickets which marred the past couple of Ashes campaigns, suddenly turned green at the request of coach Trevor Bayliss and captain Alastair Cook, news.com.au reported on Wednesday. England beat visitors Australia 3-2 convincingly.

"I think there’s certainly an element where we should have done it more in the past (and) we should do it more in the future,” Anderson said.

Anderson accused India and Australia of also doctoring wickets when they're at home.

"When we go to Australia, they prepare the pitches to suit their team. When we go to India, the same thing happens. A big deal was made of it in our conditions here (that) we were telling the groundsmen to do this and that," the 33-year-old right-arm pacer said.

Anderson said there is no harm and shame in making pitches favouring the hosts in the future.

"I'm sure they offered an opinion but it wasn’t a case that we were saying 'you have to do this' or 'you have to prepare that',” Anderson, who has 413 wickets from 107 Tests, said.

"At the same time, even if we did, everyone else in the whole world prepares pitches to give them home advantage and I don’t see why it should be any different here." 

(IANS)