Calls to honour Anderson

England's James Anderson celebrates with Ben Stokes (left) after bowling West Indies' Kraigg Brathwaite to take his 500th Test wicket during day two of the Third Investec Test match at Lord's, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday September 8, 2017. See PA story CRICKET England. Photo credit should read: Adam Davy/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. No commercial use without prior written consent of the ECB. Still image use only. No moving images to emulate broadcast. No removing or obscuring of sponsor logos.

On the weekend he became the first Englishman to reach 500 Test wickets, and rise to number one in the ICC Test bowling rankings, Anderson’s old rivals from across town feel his achievements deserve official recognition.

Heaton said: “I think that every cricket loving person in Burnley and Padiham , and indeed far beyond , and all those with civic pride, must feel an immense surge of local and national pride in the astonishing feat that James “Jimmy” Anderson has joined the elite 500 Test wicket club.

“Arguably– albeit a brief argument , Jimmy is the town’s greatest-ever sportsman.

“Whilst I accept that we are a town that usually underplays itself , we cannot simply ignore Jimmy’s achievement .

“My suggestion is that we erect a statue in the town centre , perhaps with Jimmy bowling towards Turf Moor.

“I don’t know how we would go about this, but Lowerhouse Cricket Club will fully support this.

“What Jimmy has achieved allows all coaches in this town, where appropriate, to tell any aspiring cricketer – you too can achieve this.

“Cricket in this borough, through it’s four clubs of Belvedere, Burnley ,Lowerhouse and Padiham, is a hot bed of cricket.

“How lucky are we to have James Anderson as it’s icon.”