Anderson sets England Test wicket record
‘Burnley Express’ James Anderson has broken Sir Ian Botham’s all-time England’s Test wicket record.
James Anderson has broken Sir Ian Botham’s all-time England’s Test wicket record.
The “Burnley Express” required four victims to beat Botham’s 23-year-old milestone in his 100th Test.
And, after two wickets in West Indies’ first innings, he matched that feat on the final day of the first Test in Antigua to create history.
The 32-year-old first had Marlon Samuels caught in the gully, before forcing an edge from captain Denesh Ramdin, where Alastair Cook claimed the catch.
The record-breaking wicket reduced the hosts to 294-7, 144 runs adrift of England.
The former Burnley seamer is already England’s top wicket taker across all formats.
He made his Test debut in 2003, taking 11 wickets in two Tests against Zimbabwe, and has played a role in three Ashes series wins, helping England top the Test rankings four years ago.
His achievement has come two Tests quicker than Botham required to set the previous best.
For more reaction, see Tuesday’s Burnley Express sport.