Anderson was one of several key players from the England side that recently wrapped up a 3-0 Ashes series win on home soil to be left out of the squad for the forthcoming five-match one-day international series against Australia.[break]
England begin preparations for their latest encounter against Australia with a one-day international away to Ireland on Tuesday where they will be without regular captain Alastair Cook, fellow top-order batsman Ian Bell, seamers Anderson and Stuart Broad as well as first-choice spinner Graeme Swann.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has called for spectators who bought tickets in advance to receive something of a refund given England are resting so many star names ahead of the return Ashes, which start with the first Test in Brisbane in November.
But the 31-year-old Anderson, while eager to lead England´s attack whenever he can, is also thankful for a break after a gruelling Test series against Australia.
"An Ashes series is emotionally and physically draining -- you do feel it," he said Monday at a sponsor´s event.
"There are not many five-Test series any more and with a couple of back-to-back Tests in there as well you feel the aches and pains and it takes a lot out of you emotionally," added Anderson, who during the course of the Ashes moved into second place behind Ian Botham in England´s all-time list of leading Test wicket-takers.
"It gets to a point where you just want to let things soak in, take everything in and have a rest.
"Cricketers don´t like missing cricket no matter what form of the game -- it is quite frustrating to miss cricket.
"But there is a window here for the guys that have been left out to get a good rest and prepare for a tough winter."
And the fact his fellow seamer Tim Bresnan missed the fifth and final Test at The Oval with a back injury meant Anderson understood exactly why he was being spared one-day duty against Australia.
"We´ve got a huge winter ahead of us," he said.
"I´m sure the selectors considered all there options with Tim Bresnan being injured we can´t really afford any more of our seamers getting hurt.
"I think that is why Stuart and I have been rested. Graeme Swann has obviously bowled a lot of overs this summer and with his recent injury problems with his elbow I think it is probably right to give him a rest.
"The way it is right now that is in our best interests."