James Anderson, also known as the king of swing has set new limits for the longevity of a fast bowler. But everything has to end, so after playing competitive cricket for almost 22 years, the swing maestro says goodbye to international cricket. This will surely be a very emotional moment in his career.
He is currently ranked no. 7 in ICC test bowler rankings and completed 700 in 2024, the most by any fast bowler. He has played the most test matches for England (188 matches). He arguably is the best swing bowler in cricket right now.
James Anderson’s Debut and early stages
He professionally started his cricket in 2002 when his exceptional skill to swing the ball with a decent pace grabbed the selectors’ attention.
James Anderson made his first-class debut for Lancashire in England’s county cricket in 2002 where he took 50 wickets in 13 matches including three five-wicket hauls. He became the youngest to take a hat-trick for Lancashire in 2003 which was just a week before his international debut.
James Anderson found himself as a debutant for England in 2003 against Zimbabwe at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, where he took a five-wicket haul. This marked the beginning of a new cricketing star in the making.
Continuing to rise
Despite a great start to his career, Anderson struggled in his early years due to injuries and inconsistency. But, his sheer discipline and hard work brought him back to the side as a regular member.
By the mid-2000s, james Anderson was a main bowler and wicket-taker for his team in test matches. He already had a very stable and beautiful-looking action which everyone has at least once tried to replicate in their backyards without much success.
He also could get movement from the ball even on batting-friendly pitches which made him a threat for the bowlers. On bowling-friendly surfaces, with clouds above, he was a nightmare to batsmen.
On the 2008-2009 England tour of the West Indies. He emerged as a true magician, consistently troubling the batsmen with his great control over the ball and ability to swing it late.
Peak years
James Anderson, along with Stuart Broad combined to form one of the most lethal bowling pairs of all time. Several times they both have completely dismantled the whole batting lineup alone. They played a crucial role in England’s rise to the top ranking in tests. The duo proved its importance in England’s Ashes victories in 2009, 2010-11, 2013, and 2015.
One of Anderson’s most iconic performances came during the 2010-11 Ashes series in Australia. His mastery of swing and seam movement decimated the Australian batting lineup, helping England secure their first series win down under in 24 years. Anderson finished the series with 24 wickets at an average of 26.04
Another legendary performance came against Sri Lanka in 2016 where he picked a five-wicket haul in both innings of the match in Headingly taking a total of 10 wickets in the match.
He got his career-best figures in a match against West Indies in Lord’s where he took 7 wickets going for only 42 runs.
James Anderson’s Records and Achievements
Jimmy’s career is filled with records and milestones. First, he has played the most test matches for England and picked up the most numbers of five-wicket hauls for England, surpassing Ian Botham’s 27 five-fers.
His greatest achievement is taking 700+ wickets as a pace bowler which is phenomenal. Hi sits behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne for the record of most wickets in international cricket. And being that close to Shane Warne being a fast bowler is an achievement itself.
He is the only seam bowler to take 300+ Test wickets on home soil. He is the first pace bowler, and second player overall, to take 100 Test wickets at a single venue at lord’s. He also has the record of bowling most international test deliveries bowled by a pace bowler (39,877 balls before his last match).
Is James Anderson the greatest bowler of all time?
Saying that he is the greatest fast bowler of all time is not wrong but it would be unfair to other legends of the game such as Glenn McGrath, Dale Steyn, Wasim Akram, Curtly Ambrose, and a few others.
Determining the greatest fast bowler also depends on other factors such as impact on the game, versatility in various conditions, skills with the ball, fitness, etc. But in terms of longevity and fitness, no one closes in on the great Jimmy. His ability to swing the cricket ball both in and out with great precision and control can never be forgotten.
To sum up, Jimmy carries his legacy and is irreplaceable and we will have to wait for a very long time to see another James Anderson or we might not see another one. His record book will truly inspire the future generation to chase their goals with the same dedication and passion as James Anderson.
