James Anderson’s farewell Test is all about celebrating the great man, cricket and the historic rivalry between England and West Indies. James Anderson, who was not even thinking about retirement after the last India series was asked to hang up his boots as the team management decided to groom other pacers, keeping Ashes 2025 in mind.
James Anderson made his England debut in 2002 and since then, has represented the national team in 187 Test matches, picking 700 wickets. If the pacer manages to pick nine more in his final game, James Anderson would break the record of legendary Shane Warne and become the second-leading wicket-taker in Test cricket history.
WI vs ENG Head to Head
Matches | 163 |
Won by England | 51 |
Won by West Indies | 59 |
Draw | 53 |
No Result | 00 |
First-ever Fixture |
June 23, 1928
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Most-recent Fixture |
March 24, 2022
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WI vs ENG Pitch report
The weather promises to be cold, intermittently showery and distinctly underwhelming. All of which augurs pretty well for the quick bowlers on display, given the old cliché of Lord’s being a venue where you look up, not down.The Lord’s Cricket Ground’s track is always known to be a treat for the faster bowlers. Overcast and humid conditions favour fast bowlers with early swing. As the match progresses, it may favour batters, with spinners becoming influential in later stages.
Even by the old ground’s flat-decked reputation, however, this season has been taking the Michael – as Glamorgan’s Sam Northeast can attest after overhauling Graham Gooch’s legendary 333 in April, the previous highest score ever made in NW8. Jayden Seales had a similarly brutal run-out for Sussex against Middlesex at Lord’s in May, when a total of 18 wickets fell in four days.
It’s almost always a five-day pitch at Lord’s unless the overhead conditions interfere. There are rains forecast, as you would in what’s expected to be one of Britain’s wettest summers since 1912.
WI vs ENG Big Picture James Anderson enters the end-game
That’s not quite where England find themselves after a torrid winter tour of India. But, in the wake of their 2-2 Ashes draw and a careless share of the spoils in New Zealand in February, Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum find themselves in unusually urgent need of a series win – a strange state of affairs for a team whose initial success was largely down to their disregard for the end-game.
Hence their changing of the guard, with Bazball’s original pin-up, Jonny Bairstow, being forced to bow to the reality of his fading returns, and Ben Foakes dispatched for his inability to hit the top-notes of aggression that the team ethos demands. Stuart Broad has also sauntered off the stage, 12 months yet only one home Test ago, meaning that the future will be upon this England team almost before it has had time to take stock.
What can West Indies do to knock that future off its stride Potentially, more than many other teams might muster. For if England’s approach, in essence, has been about an overdose of good vibes, then they are coming up against a team with a proven ability to raise their own game against these particular opponents.
As the current holders of the Richards-Botham Trophy, West Indies have not lost a home series to England in two decades and counting, and if the challenge that awaits them in inclement English weather is likely to be somewhat tougher, then they come armed with a core of significant senior campaigners, not least among them the returning former captain Jason Holder, and a fast-bowling contingent that would be the envy of many of their Test opponents.
Either way, West Indies are not letting the sentiment of the occasion deflect them from their mission, with more than one player expressing their intention to “ruin” Anderson’s farewell. Hopefully the weather doesn’t get there first in the course of an unsettled forecast for the week ahead. There’ll be enough moisture doing the rounds at Lord’s by the time he’s bowled his last.
In the match against West Indies at Lord’s, Anderson might just fancy doing that. He will partner with another veteran Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson and Ben Stokes, who is now fit to bowl. Among spinners, Shoaib Bashir has been named in the playing XI and Root is likely to assist him whenever required.
The batting looks sorted. Playing at home, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett can prove to be extremely dangerous, as they won’t compromise on Bazball. Interestingly, the team management made a bold decision to drop Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes and give Jamie Smith his debut cap.
The 23-year-old is deemed a future star and England are ready to invest in him early and prepare him well for away series, in which England have struggled.
West Indies, on the other hand, defied all the odds and defeated Australia at Gabba earlier in the year. The Kraigg Brathwaite-led side should take confidence from that and aim to put pressure on England to get the job done. Among batters, there will be a focus on the skipper, Alick Athanaze and Joshua De Silva.
They will play a major role in West Indies’ performance in the series, given the experience they carry. All-rounder Jason Holder is set to make his return to the playing XI, which should boost their confidence. Among bowlers, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph and Gudekesh Motie will be vital.
WI vs ENG In the spotlight: Gus Atkinson and Shamar Joseph
Yeah, yeah, so there’s really only one fast bowler on anyone’s lips right now, but seeing as Anderson loathes the spotlight, it makes sense to pass it over to two of the newest kids on the Test block.
Gus Atkinson has been England’s coming man for the best part of a year already, but after drinks-carrying roles on two senior tours of India – before Christmas for that dismal World Cup campaign and after Christmas for a marginally less dispiriting 4-1 Test defeat – Lord’s will serve as the grand unveiling of a quick who has got a lot of informed onlookers very excited indeed.
Over and above his smooth attributes as a 90mph fast bowler, Atkinson’s appetite for the big stage would appear to mark him out. His best displays to date have come when there’s been the most to prove, not least a high-octane duel with Jos Buttler in last year’s Hundred. Dillon Pennington and Matthew Potts are waiting in the wings for when Anderson has bowled his last, but Atkinson has been handed first dibs of the new era.
If Atkinson can make half the impact that Shamar Joseph managed in his maiden Test series, then England will have been extraordinarily well served. After five wickets on debut in a spirited personal display in Adelaide, no performance of recent vintage came close to matching the raw, rapid raucousness with which Joseph followed up in Brisbane, as Australia were scattered to the four corners of their former fortress at the Gabba.
His figures of 7 for 68 in 11.5 brutally direct overs were capped by the flattening of Josh Hazlewood’s off stump and a victory gallop for the ages. It’ll be a different level of expectation now, of course – and a wicketless one-off appearance for Lucknow in this year’s IPL was early evidence that his spells won’t all be as straightforwardly joyous. Nevertheless, he arrives as a serious prong in a serious pace attack, and England will be forewarned.
WI vs ENG Stats and trivia: James Anderson eyeing his final place in history
- Anderson, currently on 700 Test wickets, needs nine in the match to overhaul Shane Warne’s mark of 708, and move into second place on the all-time Test wicket-taker’s list, behind Muttiah Muralitharan (800).
- Stokes, who is expected to be back to full bowling fitness after undergoing knee surgery in November, needs two more wickets to reach 200 in Tests, after spending 17 Tests and nigh on two years in the 190s.
- Joshua da Silva, West Indies’ keeper, needs eight more runs to reach 1000 in Tests.
- Despite being the current holders of the Richards-Botham Trophy, West Indies have lost each of their last seven Test series in England, dating back to 2000, and have not won a series in the country since 1988.
- In the past decade, however, the rivalry has been especially intense at home and away. Since 2015, both teams have won six and lost six out of 15 matches, with a win apiece on their last two visits to England in 2017 and 2020.
- Anderson is 8 wickets away from equalling Shane Warne’s tally of 708 Test wickets
- England have won only two of the last seven Tests at Lord’s
- 10 of West Indies’ 15-member squad has played fewer than 10 Tests
WI vs ENG Probable Playing XI
England:
England have already announced their playing XI – 48 hours before the first Test at Lord’s. There were no surprises as England’s only strategy is to play Bazball. In case they manage to do so, the match can very well end before Day 4.
Predicted XI
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk.), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson
West Indies:
West Indies are likely to back Mikyle Louis as an opener. Kirk and Alick are to follow suit and they will play a key part in the series. The bowling unit, on the other hand, will have no surprises.
Predicted XI
Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Zachary McCaskie, Joshua Da Silva (wk.), Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph.
Eng vs WI Fantasy XI : Kraigg Brathwaite, Alick Athanaze, Jason Holder, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson
WI vs ENG Match Prediction
England are very strong in their own conditions, and West Indies have a slightly inexperienced side. That’s why, we back England to win the game and give James Anderson a perfect farewell. The most anticipated first test match between England and West Indies is all set to begin on Wednesday, July 10. This is the first game of the three-match test series between the two sides. This will also be the farewell game for legendary pacer James Anderson.
His impressive career, which spanned over two decades, will come to an end. This match will be played at one of the most iconic venues, Lord’s in London. Ben Stokes will lead England and will look to give a winning farewell to Anderson, but West Indies will not be an easy team to beat.