James Anderson believes he’s bowling as well as he ever has and that he “could still do a job” as he prepares to wind down his stellar international career at Lord’s with his 188th and final Test match this week. James Anderson, the 41-year-old ageless wonder who has won acclaim for his fitness and pace despite his age, announced in May on Instagram that the first Test of the summer against the West Indies on July 10 will mark his final international appearance.
The legendary fast bowler James Anderson, who will turn 42 at the end of this month, goes into the bookending game against West Indies with the best individual bowling figures of this County Championship season – returning 7 for 35 in the first innings for Lancashire against Nottinghamshire in his first competitive game since the Dharamsala Test in early March.
James Anderson’s illustrious Test career since 2003
The seasoned pacer James Anderson has dominated red-ball cricket with his mastery of the swing as well as the reverse swing. He made his debut in the Test format against Zimbabwe at The Lord’s, and he will bid farewell to fans as a player at the same venue.
His 6/17 against Pakistan in the first Test in 2010 at Trent Bridge still echoes the prowess of his remarkable career. He left Pakistan batters Salman Butt, Shoaib Malik, Azhar Ali, and many more players speechless. In 187 Tests, Anderson has taken 700 wickets at an average of 26.52, with the best bowling figures of 7/42. He has also taken 269 wickets in 194 ODIs for England and 18 wickets in 19 T20Is.
On the morning of the second day of the Lord’s Ashes Test in 2015, James Anderson was late getting to the ground. He was not alone: Joe Root, Mark Wood and the designated driver Stuart Broad were also behind schedule.
Australia were 337 for 1 overnight, with Steve Smith and Chris Rogers already boasting hundreds. The motivation to get to the ground on time to warm those aching joints after 90 overs in the dirt was hardly through the roof. So, the quartet did a few laps of Regent’s Park while Anderson queued up James Bay’s “Hold Back The River” on repeat, belted out louder with each rendition to the bemusement of fellow Friday commuters. Australia went on to win by 405 runs.
It would be pig-headed to ignore the romanticism of Anderson’s journey coming to an end at Lord’s, no matter how reluctant. This was where it all began in 2003 against Zimbabwe. And while the “Home of Cricket” has not always been kind to its legends – neither Sachin Tendulkar nor Brian Lara have centuries here – it has rewarded Anderson handsomely.
Of his 700 career dismissals, 119 have come at this venue alone, with the majority from the Pavilion End. His name appears on the honors board seven times, including what remain career-best figures of 7 for 42 against West Indies in 2017. The first of those – incumbent captain Kraigg Brathwaite – took him to 500 career dismissals.
The veteran bowler, who made his Test debut under Nasser Hussain in 2003 at this very venue, was nudged into bringing the curtains down following an appraisal meeting in a Manchester hotel with Ben Stokes (Test captain), Brendon McCullum (coach) and Rob Key (ECB’s Director of Cricket) in May.
In that meeting, the trio informed James Anderson that they planned on picking fast bowlers that are likely to feature in the 2025 winter Ashes tour of Australia. Before that meeting, James Anderson said he hadn’t thought about how he’d end his England career.
James Anderson recalls ‘three big dogs’ inviting him to a hotel to talk about his future post 1st test vs WI.
Senior England seamer James Anderson recalled the time when captain Ben Stokes, coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Robert Key met him a couple of months ago to talk about his red-ball future. The 41-year-old revealed that he wasn’t surprised by what they had to say.
With England having one eye on the 2025-26 Ashes series Down Under, the trio requested Anderson to step away from the international arena. Hence, the opening Test of England’s summer against the West Indies at Lord’s will be his final appearance for the country.
Speaking at a presser, the Lancashire seamer remembered how he hadn’t got emotional about it, given he understood England think tank’s standpoint. As quoted by BBC Sport, he claimed:
“I wouldn’t say it was a surprise, because when the three big dogs invited me to a hotel in Manchester for a chat I didn’t think it was just a normal appraisal. I had a suspicion that that was going to be the case. I think they were surprised at how calm I was and I was probably surprised at my reaction. I wasn’t overly emotional or angry about it. I saw their point of view and appreciated them taking the time to lay it out for me.”
The veteran has arguably been one of England’s greatest ever sportsperson. Having debuted in 2003, the right-arm seamer is one of the only three bowlers to take 700 Test scalps.
“The big thing for me this week is wanting to play well” – James Anderson
The 187-Test veteran admitted that there will be ebbs and flows of emotions throughout the game, but wants to concentrate on helping England win the match. He said:
“I’m trying not to think too much about the game itself yet, or how I’d feel about it. The big thing for me this week is wanting to play well, bowl well and get a win. I’m sure the emotions during the week will change, but right now that’s what I’m trying to focus on to stop myself crying.”
The right-arm seamer will have one eye on taking nine wickets, which will propel him past Shane Warne (708) to make him the second-highest wicket-taker in Tests.
Such forewarning at least means friends and family will be able to travel down to share this final chapter. Those lucky enough to have tickets will be able to pay their respects. They may also witness an extra bit of history if he manages to overtake Shane Warne’s tally of 708 Test wickets which, while unlikely, cannot be ruled out given the setting, the anticipated overcast conditions, and considering what he did to Nottinghamshire just last week.