Salty English fans rage after young gun denies retiring champion Jimmy Anderson a chance to break Shane Warne’s record
- Warnie took a record 708 Test wickets
- Anderson had a chance to beat that in the final Test
- He fell short, but some England fans think he missed the mark
Legendary England fast bowler Jimmy Anderson was denied a chance to surpass Shane Warne on the all-time list for taking wickets in the Test competition, sparking outrage among English cricket fans.
In his farewell match against the West Indians at Lord’s, Anderson took one wicket in the first innings and two more scalps in the second, taking his career total to 703 wickets.
However, debuting England bowler Gus Atkinson overshadowed Anderson’s efforts by taking seven wickets in the first innings, dashing the veteran bowler’s hopes of catching Warne.
With six wickets for the West Indians, at 6/79, it became mathematically impossible for Anderson to surpass Warne’s record of 708 Test wickets, much to the delight of Australian cricket fans.
Anderson started the match needing eight wickets to equal Warne and nine to surpass him.
Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan holds the all-time record with 800 Test wickets, ahead of Warne, Anderson, Anil Kumble (619) and Stuart Broad (604).
Despite his unparalleled performances, some disgruntled England fans believe Anderson should have won long before Warne.
Jimmy Anderson will go down in history as one of England’s greatest ever bowlers
However, Anderson failed to shatter Warnie’s Test record in his final match
An England fan pointed out that Warne’s six wickets in a Test match against the World XI in 2005 unfairly put him ahead of Anderson.
‘James Anderson surpasses Shane Warne’s 702 Test wickets (against real countries, excluding the silly World XI matches that should never have Test match status)’, the fan wrote on X.
However, another fan reacted: ‘Didn’t he send off Lara, Kallis, Dravid and Sehwag in that match? Maybe we can celebrate both of them as legends in their own right.’
The 41-year-old Anderson has the most Test wickets of any fast bowler and looks set to retire as England look to the future.
Earlier this year, the England Cricket Board announced that Anderson’s final appearance in England colours would be a farewell Test against the West Indies, the first of a three-Test series.
“I still feel as fit as ever, like I’m bowling as well as I’ve ever bowled. I still think I can do a job,” Anderson said ahead of his 188th Test match.
“But at the same time I understand that at some point it has to stop. The fact is that I just have to deal with it now and accept it.”
England debutant Gus Atkinson stole the show with eight wickets in the first innings
Many argue that Anderson’s long track record and form earned him more opportunities, especially as he came so close to breaking Warne’s record.
An England supporter wrote: ‘Just let him play the whole series, you horrible bastards.’
Another added: ‘One of the best English cricketers of all time, Jimmy Anderson, is being punished for being a team player. Jimmy is still playing well and COULD overtake Warne’s 708 wickets and become the second highest wicket-taker ever. Come on England. Give him a deserved chance!’
Legendary cricketer Andrew Strauss has called for Anderson to be knighted and join an exclusive group of cricketing legends.
Before the Heerstest, Strauss was asked whether the 41-year-old should be knighted.
He replied emphatically: ‘I think any fast bowler who plays 188 Test matches deserves a knighthood, let me put it that way.’