He is by every measure England’s greatest bowler, but even James Anderson was reduced to mediocrity after an abortive attempt to remodel his action. The owner of 704 Test wickets, Anderson spent most of his country’s 2004-05 tour of South Africa out of form and out of favour, and dejectedly bowling at single stumps on practice strips as he tried to relocate the pace and swing that had characterised his progressive initial years in international cricket. Ironically, it was a stress fracture of...