James Anderson took 700 wickets in 187 matches, the most by a bowler in Test history. Photo: Reuters/Francis Mascarenhas
James Anderson would have hated all these summer goodbyes, and it wouldn't have helped England prepare for the next Ashes series if the attack were to use him as a fulcrum again.
“For Anderson now is the right time to retire at 41 (he turns 42 in July) and with 700 Test wickets, but the next question is: will it be a long goodbye or a quick nod of the head and then a stage left exit?” /p>
“Anderson is an introvert who avoids being the center of attention. He marked his 700th Test wicket in Dharamsala by waving to the crowd in relief and not giving an interview. When Richard Thompson, chairman of England and Wales Cricket, presented him with a painting of the moment the next day, Anderson, pint pot in hand, looked as if he had just been asked to bowl 10 overs in 45C heat with an old ball on flat field in Rajkot.
Anderson etched his name into history in Dharamsala. Photo: Getty Images/Gareth Copley
“So the suggestion that he will go to Old Trafford is probably misplaced and also creates an awkward problem for cricket. Manchester hosts the fourth Test of the summer, the first of three Tests against Sri Lanka. To select this game as Anderson's last game would be to drag him down to the West Indies series that preceded it and select him ahead of the younger bowlers scheduled for the future. Keeping him at Old Trafford would look like a sentimental choice.
Telling Telegraph Sport in April that he wanted to find fast bowlers for Ben Stokes, Rob Key also insisted that England also needed “skills” and Anderson can help “get us there quicker by being there,” suggesting he'll have a role to play this summer.
“But what better venue than Lord's, the venue for the first summer Test against the West Indies in July at the ground where he played his first Test 21 years ago, which adds a bit of neat symmetry. Both sides could then move on; England are looking to Australia and will use the remaining five Tests to pick up new players and try different combinations with the new ball, while Anderson devotes himself full-time to his burgeoning media career.
“His ability to exploit the Lord's slope at both ends brought him 119 wickets, only Muttiah Muralitharan took more on one pitch, and although his bowling average is slightly better at Old Trafford, he never took five wickets there. His great performances in England came elsewhere.
“To beat Anderson after one game requires ruthlessness. England are loyal and Stokes has nothing but respect for Anderson. Even this decision was made with some reluctance. It is clear that Anderson will find it difficult to resist the temptation to perform in front of his public, as will the ECB, who will want to mark the occasion.
The sun-drenched Oval in September is England's usual destination, but Anderson has never enjoyed much success there. “Be where your feet are” is one of Brendon McCullum's phrases, in other words, win the game in front of you, but his legacy as a coach will be defined by the next Ashes result and he has just 18 Tests left to play before that. this series. No, the farewell must be either Manchester or Lord's.
“A knighthood in retirement is inevitable and fully justified given that Alastair Cook received it for his retirement as England's leading Test run scorer. The title falls easily on Cook's shoulders; Anderson will feel a little less comfortable with it.
“Anderson was tough to watch last summer against Australia. He was never fully fit after suffering a leg injury for Lancashire before the start of the series. Four wickets and an average of 85 meant he was signed as a center fielder and many felt he should have gone hand in hand with Stuart Broad and gone out in partnership. It is to his great credit that he was able to once again summon the spirit and take 700 wickets in India.
Stuart Broad (left) called time at the end of the Ashes series last summer, while Anderson, four years his senior, was not averse to following suit. Photo: Getty Images/Gareth Copley
It was only when India set up a declaration in the third Test that Anderson was baffled and his serial numbers – ten wickets at 33 – were decent on such good pitches.
But just a week or so later Key said that England needs “more advanced, faster”. The old Anderson pro would have realized this and feared the worst when he learned McCallum was flying in to talk to him. It will hurt. He was in tears when he was invited to tour the West Indies in 2022 and has kept quiet about another Ashes tour being planned.
“He should be there, but in a different capacity. He was the de facto bowling coach in India and his knowledge should not be limited to commentary. Anderson enjoys training and loves the madness in the locker room. His children are teenagers, it's easier for him to hit the road as his family gets older, and he will be invaluable in an advisory role in Australia, empathizing with bowlers after a bad day and imbuing the next generation with the tenacity needed in the Ashes.
“As franchise cricket continues its march, we will not see the likes of him again. No other seamer will take more than 1,000 first-class wickets, let alone 700 in Tests, bother honing his manual dexterity, swing and seam skills, or enjoy long days on flat Test pitches. He will deserve every word of praise and praise. But first, England's job is to ensure Anderson's farewell is staged to perfection, like one of his away swingers.
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