England fast bowler James Anderson is playing the final Test match of his career for the national team. The fast bowler is taking the field for the last time in the first match of the three-match series against the West Indies, which is being played at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.
James Anderson, who has been an amazing player for the England national cricket team, is having a good game with the ball so far. The fast bowler bowled well in the first innings as he was sharp with his lines and lengths which put the West Indies batsmen in trouble with the new ball in the match.
James Anderson took a wicket in the first innings by trapping Jayden Seales lbw. The fast bowler bowled 10.4 overs in the first essay and gave away just 26 runs. He also bowled 3 maiden overs in his spell and had an economy of 2.4. His effort helped England beat West Indies by 121 runs.
While he played well with the ball in the first innings, one thing that caught the attention of many was the footwear he was wearing. James Anderson donned a special pair of shoes for his final match in international cricket. The pair featured the dates of his first and last Test match along with the England logo and the number of matches he had played.
Here is the photo:
Special shoes for a special occasion ✨ #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/ffsPa3IOgo
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) July 11, 2024
James Anderson will be hoping to end his Test career on a high note. He was keen to make a big impact in the second innings, in what will be his last ball. The fast bowler looked to be in good rhythm and it won’t be a surprise if he ends up making a big impact with the ball in the second essay.
In the match between England and West Indies, the hosts won the toss and opted to bowl first. It was a great performance for them with the ball. Apart from James Anderson, Gus Atkinson shone on his debut as he took 7 wickets and the team bowled out the opposition for 121 runs.
After that, England have performed decently with the bat. Zak Crawley (76) and Ollie Pope (59) scored half-centuries before Harry Brook (50) and Joe Root (68) also chipped in with fifties. Jamie Smith had also scored a half-century and looks solid as England have Ken’s lead of over 200.
James Anderson Test Statistics
James Anderson has been an incredible player for the England national cricket team in Test cricket. The fast bowler has so far taken 701 wickets in 188 matches. He is the player who has taken the most wickets in the longest format of the game.
All-rounder James Anderson is 8 wickets away from Shane Warne’s tally of 708 wickets and will become the second most wicket-taker in the longest format of the game. If he achieves the feat in the second innings, it would be a fairytale ending for him as a Test cricketer.
After the ongoing Test match, James Anderson will take up the role of a mentor in the England National Cricket Team. The ECB recently assigned him the role as they stated that they wanted the pacer to be present in the group.