When the most successful English Test bowler, James Anderson bowled the 17th over in New Zealand’s 2nd innings at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, he broke a unique record held by former Windies legend, Courtney Walsh.
It proves the longevity of the man who made his Test debut way back in 2003 and went to become the most successful English bowler in the longest format of the game.
He bowled 30,020th legal delivery which is more than any fast bowler in the history of the game and just a little less than the former Sri Lankan tweaker Muthiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble.
Earlier the record belonged to Walsh who had sent down 30,019 delivery in his career spanning for 132 Tests and 17 years.
The English great got past the likes of Walsh in his 136th encounter for his nation. The English speedster ended the match with 3,074 deliveries under his belt.
| Bowler | Balls delivered | Career span |
| Muttiah Muralitharan | 44,039 | 133 Tests, 1992-2010 |
| Anil Kumble | 40,850 | 132 Tests, 1990-2008 |
| Shane Warne | 40,705 | 145 Tests, 1992-2007 |
| James Anderson | 30,074 | 136 Tests, 2003-2018 |
| Courtney Walsh | 30,019 | 132 Tests, 1984-2001 |
Anderson before reaching the elusive landmark bagged his maiden wicket of the innings and the 5th of the match when he dismissed southpaw Henry Nicholls.
This was his 531st Test wicket which put him in the bracket of some great bowlers. Among the pacers, he is just behind Glenn McGrath while the three top heads the chart spinners of their generation.
| Bowler | Wickets |
| Muttiah Muralitharan | 800 |
| Shane Warne | 708 |
| Anil Kumble | 619 |
| Glenn McGrath | 563 |
| James Anderson | 531 |
However, Anderson couldn’t celebrate the occasion with a victory, as Ish Sodhi and Neil Wagner defied the English bowlers a win and kept them at bay to secure a draw and enable them to win the series by a 1-0 margin.
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