James Anderson surpassed Sir Ian Botham as England’s leading wicket-taker in Tests during the Antigua Test against the West Indies.
Follow Us
When it comes to fast bowling in England, there have been many pacers who have left a mark in world cricket. Fred Trueman, Harold Larwood, John Snow, Sir Ian Botham and Bob Willis are some of the names that have shone for England in every generation. Botham was the benchmark for England. In his playing career that lasted over a decade, Botham played over 100 Tests and took 383 Test wickets.
However, on April 17, 2015, that mark was surpassed by a bowler who had created giant waves in England cricket. He had taken a five-wicket haul on debut. This individual, from Lancashire, had played a massive part in England’s victories in South Africa, Australia and India. James Anderson had emerged as the leader of the England bowling attack and was breaking new ground every single time.
On the final day of the Test between West Indies and England at Antigua, Anderson dismissed Denesh Ramdin with a leg-cutter. The Windies keeper edged the ball to Alastair Cook and history was created. Anderson had taken his 384th wicket and he became the leading bowler for England in Tests.
Six years since setting a new benchmark, Anderson has broken new ground every single time he has stepped out on the field. He now has over 600 wickets, which is the most by any pacer in Test history. Anderson surpassed the mark of 563 wickets during the Oval Test in 2018 against India. The right-arm pacer bowled Mohammed Shami through the gate and surpassed a new record.
Anderson reached 600 wickets during the Test against Pakistan in Southampton in 2020. During the Test against India in Chennai in 2021, he picked up three wickets in a brilliant spell of swing bowling as England achieved their only Test win. With 614 wickets and an Ashes contest on the cards in 2021, Anderson can become the third-highest wicket-taker in Tests.
With 30 five-wicket hauls, three 10-wicket hauls, Anderson is without a doubt one of the greatest. April 17, 2015, only stamped his class.
Rishabh Pant's explosive last-over blitz ignites IPL 2024 amid T20 World Cup comeback talks
