Nishad Pai Vaidya picks 11 statistics that reflect Anderson’s stellar contributions to the game.
James Anderson, born on July 30, 1982, is England’s leading wicket-taker in international cricket. Since his debut in 2003, Anderson has gone on to establish himself as one of the finest bowlers in the modern era — combining the art of swing and pace. He has also been a gritty tailender, helping him grab a couple of notable records with the bat.
1. First English bowler to scalp 400 Test victims
When Anderson burst onto the scene in 2002-03, it was evident that he was destined for great things. He touched a new peak for England when he surpassed Ian Botham’s tally of 383 wickets to become their leading bowler in the format. In 2015, he completed 400 Test wickets, becoming the first Englishman to do so.
2. Leading wicket-taker in Tests in England
At the time of writing, Anderson has 265 wickets in 63 matches at an average of 26.84 on English soil. He is the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket in England, several notches ahead of Fred Trueman, who finished with 229 scalps in 47 Tests at 20.04.
3. Most prolific fast bowler in Tests since the turn of the century
With an awe-inspiring 573 wickets in 85 Tests, Muttiah Muralitharan remains the most successful bowler since the turn of the new century. However, Anderson is second on the list and is the leading paceman since 2000. So far, he has accounted for 412 wickets in 107 matches at an average of 29.41. Dale Steyn is breathing down his neck as he has 399 victims in only 79 Tests.
4. England’s most prolific bowler in Test victories
Anderson was instrumental in England’s rise to the No. 1 spot in the Test rankings. With the new ball, he delivered incisive spells and setup numerous victories for them in their quest for the honour. It is no surprise that he is their most prolific bowler in victories. He has accounted for 222 wickets in 48 Test wins at an average of 22.68, with 12 five-fors and two 10-wicket match hauls. Trueman is the next best with 177 wickets in 34 wins, followed by Botham, with 172 in 33 victories.
5. Getting the better of the best
Anderson has dismissed the great Sachin Tendulkar nine times in 14 Tests, the most by any bowler in the format. He often troubled the Indian legend with copious movement and plotted his downfall. Anderson has also dismissed Michael Clarke nine times in 26 Tests. Only teammate Stuart Broad has accounted for Clarke’s wicket on more occasions.
6. King at the Mecca of Cricket
Anderson announced his arrival in Test cricket with a five-wicket haul on debut against Zimbabwe at Lord’s in 2003. He is now the most successful bowler at the Mecca of Cricket, with 75 wickets in 18 Tests at an average of 28.04. Here too he took over from Botham, who finished with 69 wickets in 15 Tests at an average of 24.53.
7. First England bowler to take an ODI hat-trick
In 2003, Anderson showed great promise as a youngster and built that reputation steadily as time progressed. He made history in a One-Day International (ODI) against Pakistan that summer when he became the first Englishman to take a hat-trick in the format. Anderson dismissed Abdul Razzak, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami to end Pakistan’s innings in that game. Since then, Stephen Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and Steven Finn have emulated him.
8. England’s leading ODI bowler
His Test exploits may eclipse his one-day feats, but there is no denying the fact that Anderson has been a good bowler for England in the shorter format. Firstly, he is England’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs, with 269 wickets in 194 matches at an average of 29.22. He beat Darren Gough’s record of 234 victims in 158 ODIs at an average of 26.29. Anderson has taken four or more wickets in an ODI innings on 13 occasions, which is more than any other England bowler. In 93 ODI wins, he registered 177 wickets at a brilliant average of 18.47 — making him England’s leading wicket-taker in one-day victories.
9. England’s leading international bowler
At the time of writing, Anderson’s international wicket tally stands on 699, which also includes the 18 victims he accounted for in T20 Internationals. He is England’s most successful bowler in international cricket by miles. Stuart Broad is next on the list with 540 wickets in 257 matches. The 700th scalp beckons for Anderson, which will be another milestone in a great career.
10. Long spell without a duck
Anderson may be a lower-order batsman, but is quite dependable when compared to other tailenders. What he lacks in range of strokes, he makes up with remarkable grit and patience. On numerous occasions, he has been entrusted with the duty of being a night-watchman and has performed decently well. Since his debut in 2003, Anderson recorded 54 innings without registering a duck in Test cricket, which is quite creditable for a tailender. That spell was ultimately broken in 2009.
11. Highest partnership for the last wicket
In the first Test against India at Nottingham in 2014, Anderson constructed a 198-run stand with Joe Root for the 10th wicket. This is a world record for the highest partnership for the final wicket, going past Ashton Agar and Phil Hughes’ 163-run stand, which also came at Nottingham. Anderson scored 81 in that game, which is the third highest for a No. 11. Anderson had a chance of becoming the first man to score a Test hundred at No. 11, but was dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Only Agar (98) and Tino Best (95) have recorded bigger scores than Anderson at the position.
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