Anderson rejoices joining the 400 club

Pacer first among England bowlers to reach the Test milestone

LEEDS: James Anderson said he had enjoyed a “nice moment” after becoming the first England bowler, and 12th overall, to take 400 Test wickets when he dismissed New Zealand’s Martin Guptill on the first day of the second Test at Headingley on Friday.

Anderson, who started this match with 399 Test wickets, needed just eight balls to reach the landmark on Friday when he had opener Guptill well-caught for a duck by Ian Bell, who held a sharp chance above his head at second slip off a classic swinging delivery.

Lancashire paceman Anderson, 32, achieved the milestone in his 104th Test.



No sooner had Anderson struck then rain, which washed out the morning session, returned to force a 10-minute stoppage.

But when the players returned, Anderson soon had his 401st Test wicket when Kane Williamson, who scored a century in England’s 124-run first Test win at Lord’s, was caught behind by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler for a duck.

Anderson had taken two wickets for no runs in three balls to leave New Zealand two for two in the third over of  a match the tourists had to win to square the two-match series at 1-1.

At tea, Anderson — who had figures of 2-28 in seven overs, with New Zealand now 123 for three — told Sky Sports, “It was a nice moment for me, and nice to get it early on in the game. We have a lot of hard work to do here but I can put my feet up and enjoy it at the end of this game.”

England’s spearhead bowler is now one of eight pacemen in a ‘400-club’ list topped by retired Sri Lanka off-spin great Muttiah Muralitharan, who took a Test record 800 wickets in 133 matches from 1992-2010. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th,  2015.

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