It was on the second day of the third Test that Ian Bell joined the esteemed 7,000-run club placing his side in a commanding position in the process.
Just a day later, England’s most successful bowling duo – James Anderson and Stuart Broad – reached a new milestone 500 Test wickets between them. They are only the third pair to do so behind Pakistan’s Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis and West Indies’ Curtly Ambroes-Courtney Walsh.
In fact, the duo’s 500th wicket came as an early present for Anderson, who turns 31 on Wednesday. With the kind of hostility and consistency they have showed in this match, it would be fitting if England went on to win this Test and level the series.
The moment was a big one for Broad and he did not refuse to admit it. "To go into the company of Wasim and Waqar, and Courtney and Curtly is a huge honour," said Broad after stumps.
Admittedly, they were his childhood heroes so joining them in the record books would be a dream come true.
The two pacemen have been wreaking havoc for all types of batsman and this does not happen without chemistry. "I think it shows the value of partnerships when bowling.
"We constantly talk on and off the field even though we have played a lot of cricket. We work together really tightly. It's a great feeling to know we have 500 together," an elated Broad added.
