Tendulkar hails ‘inspirational’ Anderson

‘It has been a joy to watch you bowl’, the Little Master tells legendary Eng pacer

LONDON:

Sachin Tendulkar said James Anderson had “inspired generations” after the England great bowed out of international cricket on Friday.

Anderson brought the curtain down on an England career spanning two decades as the hosts hammered the West Indies by an innings and 114 runs inside three days to win the first Test at Lord’s.

By taking a typically miserly 3-32 in 16 overs, veteran paceman Anderson, 42 later this month, took his final tally of Test wickets to 704 in 188 matches.

No other paceman has been as successful in Test cricket, with only spinners Shane Warne (708 wickets) and Muttiah Muralitharan (800) ahead of Anderson in the all-time standings.

India batting hero Tendulkar, the only man to have played more Tests than Anderson with 200 appearances in the five-day game, paid tribute to the Lancashire swing bowler on X, formerly Twitter, by saying: “You’ve bowled the fans over with that incredible 22-year spell.

“Here’s a little wish as you bid goodbye. It has been a joy to watch you bowl -- with that action, speed, accuracy, swing and fitness. You’ve inspired generations with your game.”

The 51-year-old Tendulkar, who retired from Test cricket in 2013 with a record 15,921 runs, added: “Wish you a wonderful life ahead with good health and happiness as you put those new shoes on for the most important spell of your life -- the time with family.”