London: Veteran seamer James Anderson bids adieu to a legendary Test career spanning 188 Test matches and more than two decades on a high note as England beat West Indies by an innings and 114 runs on Friday. The 41-year-old took the first wicket of the day at Lord’s sending back Joshua Da Silva to all but put an end to West Indies’ fight.
But while Anderson showcased his wares one final time, there was Gus Atkinson, on Test debut, who etched his name onto the Lord’s honours board with a ten-wicket haul–a proper handing over of the baton if ever there was one.
Earlier, England had taken a big first-innings lead with five batters crossing the half-century mark in a total of 371. Gus Atkinson’s seven-wicket haul had helped bowl West Indies out for 121 on day one of the Test match.
With a 250-run lead in the bag, England seamers fired away on day two to reduce West Indies to six wickets down by stumps. While Atkinson once again shone, Anderson set the tone with a peach that seamed back in to castle Kraigg Brathwaite.
Anderson finishes with 704 Test wickets to his name, four behind the late Shane Warne, and the highest by any fast bowler in the history of the game.
It might well have been 705 had Anderson held onto a return catch from Gudakesh Motie in the 44th over with West Indies nine down.
The win was just England’s fourth in this cycle of the ICC World Test Championship as they sit with 33 points and a points percentage of 25%.
They are level on points percentage with South Africa and Bangladesh in the bottom half of the WTC 2023-25 standings.
England had lost 19 points for slow over-rates over the course of the five-match Ashes Test series, significantly denting their chances of making the final next year.
