James Anderson wrapped up his last Test match for England with 1/26 in the first innings and 3/32 in the second. He started his career at Lord’s in 2003 and finished with 704 Test wickets, just behind Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708). Anderson retired on a high note, with his team winning by an inning and 114 runs. Over his 22-year career, he took a total of 991 wickets in international cricket.
Former Australian cricketer Ian Chappell praised England pace legend James Anderson after his retirement from international cricket following the first Test against the West Indies, calling him the “greatest swing bowler” in cricket history.
Anderson finished his last Test for England with figures of 1/26 and 3/32. After starting his career at Lord’s in 2003, Anderson ended with 704 Test wickets, behind only Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne. He retired on a high note, with England winning by an inning and 114 runs. Over his 22-year career, he took 991 international wickets.
In his column for ESPNCricinfo, Chappell praised Anderson for his ability to swing the ball both ways and for his long career, which he attributed to Anderson’s fitness and passion for the game despite personal commitments like marriage and children.
“James Anderson retired as the greatest swing bowler the game has seen,” Chappell said. He noted that Anderson had the rare skill of swinging the ball both ways with minimal change to his action, making him a tough opponent.
“Twenty-one years at the top is a tribute to his fitness, skill, and desire to keep playing even when life changes could have taken priority over cricket,” Chappell added.
Chappell highlighted Anderson’s ability to bowl challenging deliveries to both right- and left-handed batters, which set him apart from other swing bowlers. He recalled Anderson’s impressive spell during the 2009 Ashes Test at Lord’s and his outstanding performance in the 2010-11 Ashes series in Australia, where he troubled Ricky Ponting and took 24 wickets.
Chappell also mentioned James Anderson’s notable personality traits, including his grumpiness, changing hairstyles, and stubbornness with the bat. He acknowledged that Anderson’s patience and determination contributed to his success.
“England will miss Anderson, as it is difficult to replace his rare skill. Importantly, though, Anderson’s career is now celebrated as he is recognized as the best swing bowler the game has produced,” Chappell concluded.