James Anderson Bids Farewell to Test Cricket in an Emotional Finale

Credit -SKY Sports

In an emotional farewell to his illustrious 21-year career, James Anderson, the swing master, experienced a rollercoaster of emotions on his final day in Test cricket. The 41-year-old picked up 3 for 32, helping England secure a comprehensive victory against West Indies at Lord's, where he debuted in 2003.

A Fitting Farewell

Anderson's career ended on a high note with an innings victory for England, completed inside three days. The day began with a guard of honour, and Anderson was overwhelmed by the adulation from the crowd and his teammates. Reflecting on his career, he expressed immense pride in his achievements and gratitude for the support he received.

"It's been quite an amazing week. I've been overwhelmed with the reaction of the crowd and everyone around the ground, and the lads as well. I'm just proud of what I've achieved," Anderson shared in a post-match interview with Sky Cricket.

Remarkable Longevity and Resilience

Playing at the top level for 21 years, especially as a fast bowler, is a remarkable feat. Anderson acknowledged the significance of staying relatively injury-free throughout his career.

"Playing for 20-odd years is an incredible effort, especially for a fast bowler, so I'm happy I've made it this far and happy I've been lucky enough to stay injury-free pretty much throughout my career. Playing for England is the best job in the world and I've been privileged to do it for a long time."

Near-Miss for a Perfect Ending

Anderson had the chance to emulate his long-time bowling partner Stuart Broad, who ended his career with a final wicket in the 2023 Ashes series. However, Anderson missed out on this symbolic finish by dropping a simple catch from Gudakesh Motie. The baton was instead passed to debutant Gus Atkinson, who picked up the final wicket, finishing with 12 wickets in the match.

"I'm still gutted to have dropped that catch to be honest," admitted Anderson.

He praised the debutants, highlighting the incredible performances of Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith.

Emotional Tributes and Family Moments

The farewell for Anderson started with his daughters ringing the bell on the first day, followed by a guard of honour and a special presentation from the ECB. He expressed his gratitude towards his family for their unwavering support throughout his career.

"We talk a lot in the dressing room about creating memories and it is not just for us here, it is for our families as well. There's been a lot of time where I have been away from home and touring and stuff like that and they have been incredible support back home and allowed me to play as long as I have. Grateful for what they have done for me and also grateful that they got a chance to be a part of this week as well," Anderson said, teary-eyed.

Future Plans

While Anderson has not yet decided on his future plans, he will remain with the team as a bowling mentor for the rest of the summer.

"I'm going to stick around for the rest of the summer with these guys. Try and help the bowling group out as much as I can, and we will see where life takes is a bit after that. I'm not looked that far ahead."

Tribute from Ben Stokes

England captain Ben Stokes paid a heartfelt tribute to Anderson, calling him an inspiration for young cricketers.

"The amount of games and the amount of wickets he's taken are just absolutely phenomenal," said Stokes. "Sometimes you can be lost for words but if you gave me 15 minutes I wouldn't be able to compliment him enough. He has just been an incredible inspiration to so many people. So many young people, I'm sure, have looked up to him and wanted to emulate his career, which I think is going to be very hard to do."

James Anderson's remarkable career has left an indelible mark on the cricketing world, and his legacy as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time is firmly established.

Credit England Cricket

Here is a compilation of James Anderson's milestone moments in his Test career:

Maiden Test Wicket - 23 May 2003 (vs Zimbabwe at Lord's)

· Umpire: Steve Bucknor

· Overall Figures in the Game: 31 overs, 8 maidens, 138 runs, 5 wickets

· Wicket: Mark Vermeulen (bowled)

James Anderson's debut was a memorable one, despite the initial jitters. After conceding 17 runs in his opening over, Anderson found his rhythm and delivered 11 successive dot balls before claiming his first Test wicket, knocking over Mark Vermeulen's middle stump with an in-ducker.

100th Test Wicket - 7 August 2008 (vs South Africa at The Oval)

· Umpire: Aleem Dar

· Overall Figures in the Game: 37 overs, 3 maidens, 127 runs, 5 wickets

· Wicket: Jacques Kallis (lbw)

By this time, Anderson had developed his craft significantly. He dismissed Jacques Kallis, one of the most technically sound batsmen in the game, with a cunning inswinger that trapped him in front of the stumps.

200th Test Wicket - 18 December 2010 (vs Australia in Perth)

· Umpire: Marias Erasmus

· Overall Figures in the Game: 46 overs, 10 maidens, 126 runs, 4 wickets

· Wicket: Peter Siddle (caught)

In a crucial Ashes match, Anderson dismissed Peter Siddle with a skiddy wobble-seamer that rose sharply, causing an edge to be taken at third slip by Collingwood.

300th Test Wicket - 17 May 2013 (vs New Zealand at Lord's)

· Umpire: Steve Davis

· Overall Figures in the Game: 35.3 overs, 16 maidens, 70 runs, 7 wickets

· Wicket: Peter Fulton (caught)

At Lord's, Anderson displayed his hallmark accuracy and discipline. He pressured Peter Fulton into edging a delivery to Swann at second slip, marking his 300th Test wicket.

400th Test Wicket - 29 May 2015 (vs New Zealand at Headingley)

· Umpire: Rod Tucker

· Overall Figures in the Game: 36 overs, 7 maidens, 139 runs, 4 wickets

· Wicket: Martin Guptill (caught)

Anderson achieved his 400th Test wicket with a fifth-stump delivery that Martin Guptill edged to second slip. The moment was celebrated with typical English weather, as rain soon followed Guptill's departure.

500th Test Wicket - 8 September 2017 (vs West Indies at Lord's)

· Umpire: Marias Erasmus

· Overall Figures in the Game: 36.1 overs, 12 maidens, 73 runs, 9 wickets

· Wicket: Kraigg Brathwaite (bowled)

Anderson reached the milestone of 500 Test wickets by bowling Kraigg Brathwaite with a perfect inswinger that shattered the stumps. The achievement was celebrated by both the crowd and his teammates, marking a significant moment in his career.

600th Test Wicket - 25 August 2020 (vs Pakistan in Southampton)

· Umpire: Michael Gough

· Overall Figures in the Game: 42 overs, 6 maidens, 101 runs, 7 wickets

· Wicket: Azhar Ali (caught)

Anderson became the first fast bowler to take 600 Test wickets by dismissing Azhar Ali with a delivery that bounced unexpectedly, resulting in an edge to Root at slip.

700th Test Wicket - 9 March 2024 (vs India in Dharamsala)

· Umpire: Rod Tucker

· Overall Figures in the Game: 16 overs, 2 maidens, 60 runs, 2 wickets

· Wicket: Kuldeep Yadav (caught)

Credit SKY Sports

James Anderson in Test cricket

Mats: 188

Wkts: 704

Avg: 26.45

SR: 56.8

ER: 2.79

BBI: 7/42

BBM: 11/71

5-fer: 32

10-fer: 3

SKY Sports

Anderson's Last Speech :

It's been an amazing 20 years. Overwhelming to see the crowd reaction. It has been pretty special. Every time I wear this shirt I tried to win games for England. Has been different. Emotions have been up and down. Seeing my girls ring the bell on Day 1. It has been an amazing 20 years. You can't have a long career without the support network behind you. It's the familys journey as well as it is ours. As I mentioned, winnings series and Test matches are the only thing I will be interested in. Winning in Australia, India and contributing to those wins is really, really special. It does hurt, but I have never really walked away from my responsibilities. The amount of emotions you go through in the game, the ups and downs Test cricket throws. When the captain throws you the ball at 6PM you have to show character. Managing people, working in partnerships have helped me away from cricket as well. Certainly for me it has been a while I played white ball cricket but for me Test cricket feels like the perfect game and the satisfaction you get after 3-4 days. White ball cricket has been amazing for the game of cricket and it will continue to be. He has been magnificent. Amazing week he has had. He went to India in the winter and didn't play a game. I think he is going to be an amazing cricketer.