"It doesn't feel like a series where there should be a big upheaval. It doesn't feel like a completely disastrous series."
Monday 8 January 2018 11:22, UK
James Anderson insists there is no need for a "big upheaval" after England's 4-0 Ashes series defeat in Australia.
Joe Root's side's unsuccessful campaign concluded in Sydney on Monday where they were thrashed by an innings and 123 runs after being bowled out for 180 by mid-afternoon on the final day.
It fell to Anderson - vice-captain on this tour in place of absent Ben Stokes - to address reporters in the absence of captain Root, who was belatedly able to resume his attempted rearguard for only an hour up to lunch before retiring ill again on 58 with severe dehydration and then having to sit out the post-match ceremony.
"It doesn't feel like a series where there should be a big upheaval," Anderson said
"It doesn't feel like a completely disastrous series. [But] we're hurting and we know we've got to improve."
England's failure to capitalise on opportunities in key moments of the Ashes has been a constant theme throughout the series, and Anderson touched on it again in the post-match presentation.
England's all-time leading Test wicket-taker said falling short on the run count and not keeping pressure up on the hosts led to defeat Down Under.
"I think, to be honest, we've been outplayed in the key moments of each game," he said. "We've been in the games to an extent but we've just not been able to capitalise on any opportunities we got.
"Credit to Steve [Smith] and his team, they've played fantastically well throughout the series and were the far better side throughout the tournament."
Australia's bowlers were unrelenting to the final wicket, with Pat Cummins the pick of the bowlers, taking 4-39 to finish as the leading wicket-taker in the series.
"They have got a fantastic bowling attack and all the batsmen have come to the party, they've scored runs when the team needed them," Anderson added.
"I think looking at ourselves that's were we've slipped up. We've not scored the amount of runs you need to win a series like this and as a bowling group we have not not created the pressure for long enough periods of time."
Root, who had spent the morning in hospital with dehydration before returning to the Sydney Cricket Ground hoping to make a final stand, was sleeping in the dressing room when the final wicket fell.
"Joe's asleep at the minute," Anderson said. "He's got a gastro bug or something like that.
"He's not been too well throughout the night and it's taken its toll on him. I think the heat yesterday didn't help and he's asleep in the dressing room at the moment trying to recover."
Finally, Anderson paid tribute to the England fans who on Sunday endured the hottest day in Sydney since 1939 and supported the team throughout the series, despite the poor results.
Anderson said: "We are very lucky to have such great support, not just the Barmy Army, we've got a lot of English travelling support that follows us round the world.
"We are very grateful for them even though we've been beaten in this series. They are a fantastic group and we are very grateful to have that support."
