 "England pace legend James Anderson brought the curtains down on his international career at Lord's, the same venue where he began his Test journey in the summer of 2003. AP")
James Anderson brought the curtains down on his 21-year international career in style with four wickets in his 188th and final Test appearance, helping England crush West Indies by an innings and 114-runs at Lord’s to go 1-0 in the three-Test series.
Anderson could only collect a solitary wicket in the first innings after England opted to field and bowled West Indies out for a paltry 121, with Gus Atkinson registering figures of 7/45 in his maiden Test outing.
The 41-year-old pace legend, however, had a more pronounced role in the second essay after England had collected a 250-run first innings lead. Anderson finished with figures of 3/32 from 16 overs that, together with Atkinson’s haul of 5/61, helping bundle Windies out for 136 and guide the Ben Stokes-led hosts to a comprehensive victory.
Anderson would lead the English team back to the dressing room after Atkinson collected the final wicket to dismiss Jaydon Seales, and would receive a standing ovation at the ‘Home of Cricket’ that was packed to the rafters for the special occasion.
Watch the Lord’s crowd give Anderson a fitting farewell at the conclusion of his 21-year international career:
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAnderson had collected the first wicket in West Indies’ second innings, castling opposition skipper Kraigg Brathwaite on 4 in the evening session on Day 2. He would later have Alick Athanaze and wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva caught-behind, the latter becoming his 704th and final Test wicket — four short of Australian spin legend Shane Warne’s tally.
Anderson had the opportunity to finish with a four-fer in his final Test innings, but ended up dropping a simple catch off his own bowling after Gudakesh Motie chipped the ball in his direction.
Had he held on to the catch, Anderson would have had the honour of collecting the final wicket of his farewell match, something that long-time new-ball partner Stuart Broad had achieved in his farewell match at The Oval during last year’s Ashes.