LONDON, July 22: James Anderson suggested the absence of England's Ashes-winning bowling attack may have helped him perform so well against India on Saturday when he claimed his career best Test figures of five for 42.

Anderson was instrumental in India's collapse from 145 for four to 201 all out.

Without the injured Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard as well as the other two bowlers that featured in the 2005 Ashes win, Ashley Giles and Simon Jones, Anderson has reacted well to being the most experienced bowler on show.

“Yeah, possibly, during the one-day series against West Indies it felt like I had a bit more responsibility and I really enjoyed that,” he told reporters.

“I just carried it on in this game,” he added, after taking his third five-wicket haul in Tests but the first for four years since the year he made his debut.

Anderson, 25 this month, is playing his first home Test in three years and the combination of being the most experienced bowler and technical improvements have helped him.—Reuters