JAMES Anderson will be fit for the start of the Ashes, according to the good people in charge of the England cricket team.

Obviously that is great news for the Burnley boy, who is the main strike bowler for England and the man the Aussies are wary of ahead of the biggest cricket series on the planet.

But the fact that there is doubt over Anderson’s fitness at all underlines a worrying theme.

I mean, he was hurt while sparring with the gigantic Chris Tremlett while on an England pre-Ashes boot camp.

Yes folks, you read that right. England’s prized asset cracked a rib while boxing. While boxing a bloke much taller and more powerful than him. Not even a fair fight either The mind boggles. That is no way to prepare for a cricket series. You can’t risk your men on a boot camp. You almost wonder if the organisers were inspired by some TV reality show.

Or maybe they had been eating iffy mushrooms...there is no way that is a decent idea.

And perhaps the ECB realise the error of their ways as they tried to hide the news for a fortnight...or perhaps they are planning their next training session. Maybe free-falling over shark infested waters...

Stick to the cricket lads.