Around 14 years ago, a young fast-bowler burst onto the scene at the home of cricket, Lord’s against the minnows Zimbabwe, when he bagged five wickets in his very first innings as an international bowler.
Now, he will be back at the famous ground, older, wiser and as an entirely different bowler just three wickets away from becoming only the 3rd bowler to bag 500 Test wickets.
In all probability, he will reach the landmark in the final Test against the Windies, and as far as wickets are concerned, Anderson is the only bowler within sights of breaking the record of 563 Test wickets held by Glenn McGrath. It is well within his reach fitness forbidding but whatever the great fast bowler has achieved is exemplary.
After playing 128 Tests, Anderson doesn’t show signs of wearing down and has already bagged 30 wickets in six tests this summer at an astonishing average of 15.89. According to his bowling partner Sturt Broad, he feels Anderson is bowling as well as he has ever done.
“I am a bit of a believer in fate, so if it’s meant to be this week, then it will happen. As long as we get the win, I am not too fussed. I know I am talking about it, but I really don’t want to think about it.”
Anderson had started the summer with 467 wickets, and he hadn’t thought of reaching the threshold of 500 wickets so early.
“Five hundred wasn’t on my mind at the start of the summer,” he said. “I knew over seven Tests I’d have to bowl very well and everything would have to go my way to get near it. So to be as close as I am to it is somewhere I didn’t expect to be.”
“I didn’t think I would play this much for England or get these many wickets. It is very surreal to think that I have achieved what I have achieved and I am thrilled that I have been able to play for so long and have the success I have had.”
England is currently without a bowling coach after Ottis Gibson became the coach of the South Africa national team. Anderson feels that a new appointment is “an important one for the next generation.”
“Me and Stuart could probably finish off our careers without a bowling coach in the side,” he said. “It is very important for the guys coming through and it is important it is someone who can prepare them for playing Test cricket.”
It was also speculated earlier that Anderson could take up the job, but he quashed all those rumours until he is still playing. However, he feels that the coach rather than having a more technical background must be someone with a more tactical thinking.