Tag: James Anderson

LONDON: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has paid tribute to fast bowler James Anderson after his final appearance for England Men, bringing an end to a remarkable 21-year Test career.

Anderson signed off today taking a 704th and final Test wicket as England sealed a win in the First Men’s Test Match against West Indies at Lord’s.

ECB Chair Richard Thompson termed himself lucky to be able to witness James Anderson’s Test debut 21 years ago at Lord’s and asserted that no one would have predicted the longevity of the bowling genius then.

“I was lucky enough to be at Lord’s when Jimmy made his Test debut 21 years ago and while his prodigious talent was immediately obvious as he took a five-wicket haul, no-one could have predicted the significance and sheer longevity of his bowling genius.

“Seeing him then get his 700th wicket at Dharamshala and now as the curtain comes down at Lords I feel very privileged to have seen how his extraordinary career has unfolded.

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“He is quite simply the best Test pace bowler there has ever been and the sense of occasion that has engulfed Lord’s this week has befitted a man who will forever be an England legend. On behalf of English and Welsh cricket, thank you Jimmy.”

ECB Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould echoed similar remarks for James Anderson and asserted that the pacer has earned a place as one of the all-time iconic names in world cricket.

said: “Jimmy has rightly earned a place as one of the all-time iconic names from world cricket. It is testament to the way he has combined his rare talent with outstanding professionalism and work ethic that he bows out still bowling so well more than 20 years after his Test debut.

“There was nothing more enjoyable than watching him slice through opposition batting line-ups who were helpless in the face of the skills and precision he crafted over two decades. It has been a privilege to witness and matched only by the humility he has shown while standing at the top of the game.”

READ: James Anderson gets dream farewell as England rout West Indies

LONDON: Veteran pacer James Anderson concluded his glittering Test career on a winning note as England crushed West Indies by an innings and 114 runs in the first Test of the three-match series here at Lord’s.

The right-arm pacer playing his 188th and last Test for England, bowed out with 704 wickets, the most by any pacer in the history of the format.

“It’s been an amazing week, been overwhelmed with the reaction of the crowd and everyone around the ground,” Anderson told Sky Sports.

“I’m just proud of what I’ve achieved,” he added.

However, his farewell was overshadowed by his successor Gus Atkinson, who backed his first-inning seven-wicket haul with a five-fer and recorded magnificent bowling figures of 12 for 106, the best by an England player on debut since 1890.

West Indies resumed their second innings at 79/6 on Day Three, needing a further 171 runs to make England bat again.

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But, James Anderson denied the touring side a chance to settle down as he got rid of wicketkeeper batter Joshua Da Silva (9) to open the floodgates.

Atkinson then ripped through to the toothless West Indies batting tail with three quick wickets to steer England to a massive victory in the series opener.

However, Anderson had a chance to conclude the match with a caught and bowled but dropped the dolly directed towards him by No.9 Gudakesh Motie.

The moment elicited gasps and groans and Anderson could just smile as he sank to his knees, the ball slipping out of his grasp as he reached for it one-handed.

For his record match figures, Gus Atkinson was adjudged the Player of the Match.

England now lead the three-match series against West Indies 1-0. The two sides now head to Nottingham, scheduled to host the second fixture from July 18 to 22.

READ: Here’s how West Indies miss James Anderson’s guard of honour

West Indies’ plan to acknowledge England great James Anderson with a guard of honour fell by the wayside after a rare moment of exuberance at Lord’s instead left them celebrating “all the way down to Swiss Cottage” instead.

Anderson walked out to bat on Thursday for what now seems certain to be the final time in his England career — the West Indies were 171 runs behind with just four wickets standing at stumps on the second day – after talks with team management led him to announce this fixture would be his 188th and last Test.

It has become a tradition for a fielding side to give a guard of honour when a leading opposition cricketer is coming into bat for the final time in a Test.

And that was the West Indies’ intention on Thursday before No. 11 Anderson walked out to a standing ovation from a capacity crowd at Lord’s.

He took the field after a brilliant run out by Mikyle Louis, whose direct hit to dismiss Shoaib Bashir sparked joyous celebrations among the West Indies side.

By the time Anderson, whose 703 Test wickets taken by any fast bowler in the format’s history, emerged from the Pavilion, only former West Indies captain Jason Holder was on hand to give the 41-year-old veteran a handshake.

“We spoke about it before he came out to bat, that we were going to give him a guard of honour,” said West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales.

“Obviously the run out took us all the way down to Swiss Cottage (the neighbouring district in northwest London to St John’s Wood, in which Lord’s is located), so it was pretty hard to do the guard of honour for the great man. Luckily, Jason caught up with him.”

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James Anderson, jokingly nicknamed the ‘Burnley Lara’ in honour of both his birthplace in northwest England and West Indies batting great Brian Lara, didn’t even face a ball on Thursday before debutant Jamie Smith was last man out for an assured 70.

“I think the biggest missed opportunity was not seeing Jimmy face one off their left-arm spinner,” said Smith.

“That’s the one regret about my innings. I’m a bit disappointed I couldn’t hit one more six to allow him his moment.

“It’s been an honour play alongside him in my first game. Everyone will miss him when he goes.

“If we’re in a position where he has to bat in the second innings I’d be a bit worried, so hopefully he can get wickets with the ball instead.”

Anderson, Ben Stokes and debutant fast bowler Gus Atkinson all took two wickets apiece as the West Indies collapsed to 79-6 at Thursday’s close after slumping to 121 all out in their first innings of this three-match series.

West Indies struggled to make anything like the impact with the bat as Smith, who hit eight fours and two sixes — one of which cleared the Tavern Stand.

“I always like to be aggressive, that’s the way I want to play my cricket — on the front foot,” he said.

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LONDON: Debutant Gus Atkinson blew away West Indies with a seven-wicket haul before Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope’s half-centuries gave England a 68-run lead on the opening day of the first Test of the three-match series here at Lord’s.

In James Anderson’s final Test, England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and put West Indies into bat.

Anderson, the most successful pacer in the history of Test cricket, was honoured by his teammates as he was asked to lead the side marching onto the field.

The right-arm pacer also received a standing ovation from the capacity crowd at the home of cricket while his daughters rang the five-minute bell before the commencement of the action as visibly emotional Anderson looked on.

But the attention soon tilted towards debutant pacer Atkinson as he wreaked havoc with a seven-wicket haul.

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Gus Atkinson was supported by skipper Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Anderson as England booked West Indies on a meagre 121 in the first innings.

In response, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope’s fifties recovered England from a shaky start as opening batter Ben Duckett perished cheaply.

Crawley and Pope partnered strongly to add 94 runs for the second wicket until Jason Holder struck to get rid of the latter.

Pope scored 57 off 74 deliveries with the help of 11 boundaries.

Zak Crawley then put together a brief partnership with Joe Root before a searing Seales’ yorker drew curtains on his brilliant knock.

He remained the top-scorer for England with a brisk 76 which featured 14 boundaries.

Root (15) combined with Harry Brook (25) and together they raised an unbeaten 46 before the umpires called it a day.

READ: Retiring James Anderson picks best batter he bowled against

LONDON: Retiring England pacer James Anderson picked India’s batting great Sachin Tendulkar as the best batter he bowled in his glittering career.

During a Q&A session with Sky Sports Cricket ahead of his farewell Test at the Home of Cricket Lord’s, Anderson picked legendary Tendulkar ahead of renowned batters like Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, David Warner and Steve Smith.

“The best batter I would have to say is Sachin Tendulkar,” said Anderson.

Notably, James Anderson dismissed Sachin Tendulkar nine times in Test cricket and thrice in ODIs. All in all, he has 149 wickets to his name against India in 39 matches, the most by him against any cricket-playing nation.

When probed about the best bowlers he ever faced, Anderson picked Australia’s Glenn McGrath and South Africa’s Dale Steyn, terming them world-class.

“The best bowler I faced was probably Glenn McGrath or Dale Steyn. Hard to pick between the two. Slightly different bowlers, but both world-class,” Anderson stated.

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Anderson then chose Michael Clarke’s dismissal in the 2013 Ashes as his most memorable while opted his 81-run knock against India at Trent Bridge, Nottingham in 2014.

“Career achievement I am most proud of his getting 81 at Trent Bridge against India. I know, I probably should pick a wicket or bowling performance, but getting 81 with the bat, I think, it is just something I still can’t believe I have done,” stated Anderson.

For the unversed, England’s veteran pacer James Anderson announced in March that he will retire from Test cricket this summer.

“Hi everyone. Just a note to say that the first Test of the summer at Lord’s will be my last Test” stated Anderson.

Anderson is the only pacer in history to take 700 Test wickets. He achieved the milestone during England’s fifth away Test against India, in March this year.

He is also the third in the list of players with the most Test wickets, only behind spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) of Sri Lanka and the late Shane Warne (708 wickets) of Australia.

READ: James Anderson’s daughters ring bell ahead of farewell Test at Lord’s

LONDON: James Anderson’s daughters Lola and Ruby had the honour of ringing the iconic bell at Lord’s ahead of the veteran pacer’s final Test for England.

Anderson, the most successful pacer in the history of Test cricket, was honoured by his teammates as he was asked to lead the side marching onto the field after England captain Ben Stokes put West Indies into bat.

 

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The right-arm pacer also received a standing ovation from the capacity crowd at the home of cricket while his daughters rang the five-minute bell before the commencement of the action as visibly emotional James Anderson looked on.

 

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The tradition of ringing the bell at Lord’s before a Test match began in 2007 when West Indies were welcomed to the stadium. Vivian Richards, Peter Baxter, and Garfield Sobers were the bell-ringers on that occasion.

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For the unversed, England’s veteran pacer James Anderson announced Saturday that he will retire from Test cricket this summer.

“Hi everyone. Just a note to say that the first Test of the summer at Lord’s will be my last Test” stated Anderson.

“It’s been an incredible 20 years representing my country, playing the game I’ve loved since I was a kid. I’m going to miss walking out for England so much. But I know the time is right to step aside and let others realise their dreams just like I got to, because there is no greater feeling.”

Anderson is the only pacer in history to take 700 Test wickets. He achieved the milestone during England’s fifth away Test against India, in March this year.

He is also the third in the list of players with the most Test wickets, only behind spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) of Sri Lanka and the late Shane Warne (708 wickets) of Australia.

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LONDON: West Indies pace prodigy Shamar Joseph spoke highly of retiring James Anderson but vowed to “ruin” the England pacer’s farewell celebration.

England and West Indies are set to embark on a three-match Test series with the Lord’s Test, scheduled to run from July 10 to 14.

The opening Test of the series will be James Anderson‘s last appearance for England in the format.

Speaking to the media ahead of the series opener here, Joseph heaped praise on Anderson, terming him an exceptional player and a role model.

“He [James Anderson] is such an amazing player,” stated  Shamar Joseph.

“Someone I have looked up to. Someone who is very good at this level. You could say he’s perfect because he has a lot of wickets at this level. Definitely, I would want to ruin that farewell for him.”

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Shamar Joseph also shared that he was upbeat about playing in England, highlighting the bowling-friendly conditions while also expressing his determination to leave a mark while playing at the home of cricket.

“I’m excited to be here. England is known for a good fast bowling,” stated Joseph.

“Oh they’re great. Watching a lot of the Ashes with great fast bowlers, Jofra Archer, Mitchell Starc, all the great fast bowlers come out here and do well. that’s something I would want to do as well,” Joseph added.

Joseph rose to fame with his heroics in the away Test series against Australia. He played a pivotal role in his side’s memorable victory in the Gabba Test.

Meanwhile, the emerging pacer reiterated that their performance in the recent tour to Australia would give the West Indies confidence, heading into the upcoming series against England.

“Since our last tour of Australia, we maintain our energy. That’s the mindset we come into this series with (that West Indies can compete against England),” said Joseph.

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England have announced their Playing XI for the first Test match against the West Indies, starting at the iconic Lord’s 10 July.

This match will mark pacer Chris Woakes’ return to the England Playing XI for the first time since last summer’s Ashes against Australia. Meanwhile, Surrey players Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith will make their Test debuts.

Somerset spinner Shoaib Bashir will play his first Test match on home soil after debuting in India earlier this year.

It is pertinent to mention that legendary pacer James Anderson will take the field as England player for the last time in this match, at the same venue where he made his debut 21 years ago against Zimbabwe.

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Anderson is the only pacer in history to take more than 700 Test wickets. He achieved the milestone during England’s fifth away Test against India, in March this year.

He is also the third in the list of players with the most Test wickets, only behind spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) of Sri Lanka and the late Shane Warne (708 wickets) of Australia.

The second match between England and West Indies will be played from 18 to 22 July at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, while the third match is scheduled to be played in Edgbaston in Birmingham from 26 July.

England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson

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England great James Anderson hopes future players will relish the challenge of Test cricket rather than just go “chasing the dollar” as he prepares to bow out of the five-day game against the West Indies.

The series opener at Lord’s, starting on Wednesday, will be the Lancashire paceman’s 188th and final Test match after a record-breaking career spanning two decades.

No fast bowler has taken more than Anderson’s 700 Test wickets and only India batting hero Sachin Tendulkar has played more matches (200) in the format.

The cricketing landscape has radically changed since Anderson, 41, made his Test debut against Zimbabwe at Lord’s in 2003.

Cricketers no longer have to become established at Test level to enjoy successful careers. With the advent of lucrative Twenty20 franchise tournaments, notably the Indian Premier League (IPL), they can earn a lot more money for a lot less work.

For fast bowlers in particular, the rewards of shorter-form cricket are particularly enticing as the workload is much lighter.

But Anderson told reporters at Lord’s on Monday that the longest version of the game had shaped him. “Test cricket is literally the reason that I am the person that I am,” he said.

“It has taught me so many lessons through the years, built my resilience to a lot of things. I think the fulfilment you get from putting in a shift in a day’s cricket is different to anything else you can do in the game.”

James Anderson cut short his time in white-ball cricket to extend his Test career. He is now third on the all-time list of wicket-takers behind Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan and Australia’s Shane Warne, both spinners.

“I know you can earn a lot of money from bowling four overs (in T20 cricket), but for me personally, I would never get the same sort of joy or fulfilment from taking wickets that are caught on the boundary compared to really giving a batter a working-over and figure someone out,” he said.

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“I just hope there are enough kids and young professionals out there who still want that to be the case, rather than going chasing the dollar.”

Anderson was effectively forced into Test retirement by England chiefs, who want to rebuild ahead of the 2025/26 Ashes in Australia.

While accepting his career had to “end at some point”, Anderson insists he is “bowling as well as I ever have”.

Asked if he could have kept playing, the paceman added: “It’s difficult to say. I’ve not really got a choice.”

Signs of a new-look England side will be on show at Lord’s after the hosts named their team two days before the start of the three-match series.

James Anderson has been selected alongside the Surrey debutants wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and fast bowler Gus Atkinson.

Third-ranked England have played an entertaining, attacking brand of cricket over the past two years under captain by Ben Stokes, but have won just four of their past 11 Tests.

After their 4-1 series loss in India earlier this year, coach Brendon McCullum promised the team would “refine” their aggressive approach, dubbed “Bazball” in his honour.

The West Indies, ranked eighth in the world, are a shadow of the team that dominated global cricket in the 1980s but they produced a major upset in January when they beat Australia by eight runs in Brisbane. It was their first Test victory on Australian soil in 27 years.

Former West Indies captain Jason Holder, set to return to Test cricket after missing that tour, said: “I was just so happy for the boys when they did what they did in Australia.

“It gave me a renewed energy to come back to the group and try to be a part of something special again.”

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Former England pacer Stuart Broad has praised his long-time bowling partner James Anderson as “an addict of the art of bowling” as the veteran fast bowler prepares for his final Test against West Indies.

Anderson, 42 later this month, will face the West Indies in a series opener at Lord’s starting on Wednesday before ending an England career which has so far yielded 700 wickets in 187 Tests — both records among quick bowlers.

Broad, who played alongside James Anderson in 138 of those games before retiring from Test cricket after last year’s Ashes, said his longstanding new-ball partner’s excellence was down to a sheer love of bowling.

“He loves the rhythm of running into bowl, the control of the technique of his action, the tactical side of whether he’s bowling away swing, inswing, wobble seam,” Broad wrote in the Sunday Times.

“When you talk about professionals who have had longevity, you often talk about their dedication to training, their discipline in the gym and their diet.”

The 38-year-old Broad, who himself took 604 wickets in 167 Tests, added: “And of course, you don’t play to 42 unless you have that but the thing that makes him different is his genuine love of the art of what he does.

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“Addict is generally used as a negative word but I’d say he is an addict of the art of bowling.”

Anderson’s reputation was based on his ability as an outstanding conventional swing bowler, particularly in home conditions, but Broad said this ignored his skill in deploying reverse swing.

“He doesn’t get enough credit for his reverse swing, which has been crucial to his great record in the subcontinent,” Stuart Broad wrote. “Because his line and length are so immaculate it makes it lethal.

“(South Africa fast bowler) Dale Steyn was phenomenal and quicker than Jimmy but Jimmy is certainly the best reverse-swing bowler I’ve played with and probably the best I’ve witnessed in the flesh outside of Steyn.

“(His) ability to adapt and learn is why he has been so successful for so long. In professional sports, you have to be continually improving because there is always a younger bowler trying to get your shirt.

“It is that genuine love for the art of bowling that has made him want to improve and learn new deliveries. It’s why he will go out at Lord’s this week as England’s greatest-ever bowler.”

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