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.
PHOTO: AFP
Anderson became the first England bowler to the landmark and just the sixth in history when, having started the West Indies' second innings with 499 Test wickets behind him, he clean bowled opener Kraigg Brathwaite.
The 35-year-old Lancashire swing king was just the third paceman to take 500 Test wickets behind McGrath and West Indies great Courtney Walsh (519).
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Anderson is the only active cricketer in the '500 club', with the spin trio of Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (800 Test wickets), Australia's Shane Warne (708) and India's Anil Kumble (619), in common with McGrath and Walsh, all retired.
"I'm just trying to stay fit and stay on the field," said Anderson. "I'm loving playing cricket at the moment. I just want to keep playing as long as possible. If I keep on playing for the next couple of years I might get somewhere near [McGrath's tally].
After dismissing Brathwaite, Anderson produced a near unplayable delivery to bowl Kieran Powell for 45, the ball spearing into the left-hander only to cut away and clip the top of off stump.
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West Indies were 93 for three — just 22 runs ahead — come the second day's close, with England pressing for a series-clinching win in a three-Test contest currently level at 1-1.
Anderson, as so often in his 129-Test career, led England's attack with stumps figures of two for 17 in nine overs.
But having been kept waiting for the landmark achievement since going wicketless in the second innings of West Indies' series-levelling win at Headingley, Anderson said his main emotion at breaking the 500 barrier was one of relief.
"It's a bit surreal," said the Lancashire paceman. "I'm more relieved to get to get it out of the way, to be honest."
Anderson, who took his first Test wicket on debut against Zimbabwe at Lord's in 2003, added: "It's such a special place for me — to get my first wicket and 500th here will live with me a long time."
But Anderson's England career has not been one smooth upward curve as he had to wait to become established at Test level, missing England's 2005 Ashes triumph after being unable to force his way into the 'fab four' pace attack of Matthew Hoggard, Stephen Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones.
Relegated to the role of net bowler with England, he suffered a stress fracture in 2006, but since forcing his way back in, his career for the Three Lions blossomed.
"There were some dark times," recalled Anderson. "I got injured, left out of the side. It just made me more determined to improve. I knew I had some skills. I used to be able to bowl fast! I just tried to develop that and get back out there."
Nasser Hussain, Anderson’s first England captain, paid tribute to an "incredible talent".
"He was a boy from nowhere," said Hussain. "He came in after another disaster of an Ashes tour and he was like a breath of fresh air. He was so different from anything I'd seen before. I didn't know him then and I don't really know him now, to be honest but he's an incredible talent.”
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