A Tribute To James Anderson: The Unmatched Legacy Of England’s Swing-Bowling Artist

An ageless gladiator finally walks away into the sunset, 21 years and 704 Test match wickets after he first turned out in an England sweater as debutant number 613 in May 2003. And it’s a pity the West Indies couldn’t give James Anderson a slightly longer swansong, with the match ending in little less than two-and-a-half days. (More Cricket News)

His 188th and final Test match ended almost abruptly, so to say, as he took his last bow at Lord’s, finishing with a three-fer in his final innings.But that could so easily have been yet another five-fer in a long list of such achievements, if another debutant for England aspiring to take his place, did not have other ideas.

In what looked like a well-executed succession plan, the youngster Gus Atkinson ended up with a remarkable 12 for 106 to get his name on the honours board in the Long Room at Lord’s.

But that didn’t stop Jimmy from picking up a four-wicket match haul in his last Test, as he yet again showcased all the skills that have made his journey to a mind-boggling 704 Test scalps so very special.

England cruised to a very comfortable innings victory against an opposition that didn’t quite look the part and Atkinson had one of the most memorable debuts at Lord’s, since Bob Massie in the 1972 Ashes series when he picked up eight wickets in each innings on his first appearance for Australia.

Incredibly, Massie was destined to play only five more times in Test cricket! A story of truncated Test careers after a dazzling 16-wicket debut that was nearly replicated by Narendra Hirwani of India in later years.

So it’s early days yet and Atkinson’s fantastic start is just the beginning for him. He would do well at this stage to go over and have a long chat with Jimmy Anderson on longevity for fast bowlers and everything that goes behind it - the work ethic, the blood sweat and tears, the determination and heartbreak. From someone who came into the England team when Atkinson wasn’t even born, after just three List A games for Lancashire.

And there he was, the grizzled veteran passing on the baton to the fresh-faced youngster, coming into the England side as cap no 714, a small matter of 101 Test debutants between them over a 21-year period.

What a testament to the monk-like commitment and determination of the great man!

But this was Jimmy Anderson’s moment, as he reluctantly said goodbye at the biggest stage in world cricket. He had scalped a 7 for 35 against Nottinghamshire in the County championship just last week, and has taken his total number of first-class wickets to what would probably be a never-seen-again tally of 1,126. This mark is unlikely to be breached simply because modern bowlers just don’t bowl that much anymore under the new load-management guidelines of the sport, to prevent stress injuries.

Yet, as he himself said in an interview, he felt as if he were bowling as well as ever and could have gone on for a year, or two years or more. But sadly, that was not to be and the England team management almost forced him to call time on a glorious career at this Test Match at Lord’s. Much like Father Time in the fabled windvane on top of the pavilion picking up the bails to lend an element of finality to the proceedings.

The MCC awarded him an honorary life membership and he already has a stand named after him at his beloved home ground at Old Trafford.The Pavilion End at Old Trafford is now The James Anderson End in a fitting tribute to one of the greatest exponents of the game.

And while everyone talks about his incredible 704 Test wickets for England, not many remember quite as well that as a batter he holds the world record for the highest tenth-wicket stand in Tests with Joe Root. A record scripted when they got 198 runs together against India at Nottingham in 2014, before No. 11 Jimmy Anderson finally fell for 81, on the doorstep of what would have been a well-deserved Test century.

All good things come to an end and it’s now time for Jimmy Anderson to walk away into the shadows as the first Test against West Indies comes to an end, leaving thousands of cricket fans around the world saying farewell to an icon of the game, probably with these iconic words from poet Dylan Thomas in mind:

“Do not go gentle into that good night/ ...Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

And who knows, Jimmy Anderson might continue doing just that.

Go well, legend! You will be missed.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author. The author is a veteran Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force, who has played Ranji Trophy for Services.