James Anderson claims historic 500th Test wicket as England-West Indies third Test is finely poised

Sport360 staff 23:02 08/09/2017
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  • James Anderson’s 500th Test wicket provided the long-anticipated landmark moment Lord’s craved as England held the advantage in a tense, low-scoring match against West Indies.

    Anderson was left stranded on 499 as Ben Stokes’ career-best six-wicket haul consigned the Windies’ first innings to 123 all out.

    But after Stokes had then hit 60 runs for good measure to help eke out a lead of 71, Anderson wasted no time second time round when he clean-bowled opener Kraigg Brathwaite in just his second over as the tourists reached 93 for three at the close of a rain-shortened day two.

    STAT OF THE DAY

    500 – One figure has loomed over all others here for the past two days, and Anderson finally made it a reality when – having taken the first two wickets but then no more in West Indies’ first innings – he saw off Brathwaite for the second time in the match to etch a new landmark in his record-breaking career.

    PEERLESS

    He has the figures to prove it, of course, and Anderson deserves every one of his 500 successes. Graft and tenacity in spades have been needed to complement his supreme and still-evolving skill. The great Fred Trueman said anyone who followed him to 300 Test wickets would be “bloody tired”. Anderson is showing no signs of exhaustion yet, and stands a puncher’s chance of doubling Trueman’s tally.

    England's James Anderson celebrates taking his 500th Test match wicket after taking the wicket of West Indies' Kraigg Brathwaite for 4 runs during the second day of the third international Test match between England and West Indies at Lords cricket ground in London on September 8, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. NO ASSOCIATION WITH DIRECT COMPETITOR OF SPONSOR, PARTNER, OR SUPPLIER OF THE ECB (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)

    Kraigg Brathwaite became Anderson’s 500th Test wicket.

    STOKES, ‘THE FREAK’

    Former England captain Michael Vaughan’s words, but it is hard to argue after the resident match-winning all-rounder followed his career-best six for 22 with a crucial 60 runs too. England would almost certainly have subsided to a first-innings deficit without his intervention with either bat or ball.

    TWEET OF THE DAY

    “Geoffrey Boycott still has my tupperware…” Prime Minister Theresa May reveals her previous cake delivery to TMS was intercepted! – Test Match Special’s feed spreads the revelations of how Mrs May’s Chocolate Brownies never made it to their intended destination on her previous visit to the cricket.

    WHAT NEXT?

    Another hundred or so at least for Anderson, England and their supporters will be hoping, before he calls time on a great career.

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