London (England): Legendary pacer James Anderson was emotional when his daughter rang the bell at the iconic Lords cricket stadium here ahead of the start of the first Test between England and West Indies on Wednesday. It will be the 188th and final appearance of Anderson's illustrious Test career.
The right-arm pacer confirmed his retirement from Test cricket on May 11 after having a lengthy conversation with England's red-ball coach Brendon McCullum. Anderson took to his Instagram handle to announce his retirement and wrote, "Hi everyone. Just a note to say that the first Test of the summer at Lord’s will be my last Test. It’s been an incredible 20 years representing my country, playing the game I’ve loved since I was a kid. I’m going to miss walking out for England so much. But I know the time is right to step aside and let others realise their dreams just like I got to because there is no greater feeling."
"I couldn’t have done it without the love and support of Daniella, Lola, Ruby, and my parents. A huge thank you to them. Also, thank you to the players and coaches who have made this the best job in the world. I’m excited for the new challenges that lie ahead, as well as filling my days with even more golf. Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years, it’s always meant a lot, even if my face often doesn’t show it. See you at the Test, Go well Jimmy X," he added.
The 41-year-old came into the action in his last test as soon as he stepped onto the field after the captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to field against Kraig Braithwait-led side.
Stokes' decision received a huge appreciation as he received cheers from the crowd at the 'Home of Cricket,' as spectators eagerly anticipated seeing Anderson excel in his 188th and final Test of a record-breaking career spanning two decades.
Special moments this morning 🥰🔔#EnglandCricket | @Jimmy9 pic.twitter.com/zEatqbhphq
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 10, 2024
Anderson currently holds the record for the most wickets by a pacer in Test cricket. He is also the overall third-highest wicket-taker in the longest format of the game. His (537) partnership with compatriot Stuart Broad (604) is akin to a fairytale as they picked up 1039 wickets in 138 Tests together. Broad's retirement from Test cricket after Ashes 2023 marked the end of an illustrious era in English fast bowling, as neither he nor Anderson will feature in the team's bowling attack anymore.
"What we can expect from Jimmy is complete heart, desire, and passion to go out there and win games for England. His sole goal this week is to be the performer that he has been for such a long period of time," remarked Stokes on Anderson's illustrious career and the expectations for his final outing.
England made some hard decisions ahead of the series with Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes, and Ollie Robinson not getting selected in the squad, and giving rest to pacer Mark Wood following the T20 World Cup. England introduced a few youngsters in the likes of debutants Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson, alongside off-spinner Shoaib Bashir making his first home appearance.
West Indies, having secured a recent Test series victory over England in early 2022, aimed to replicate their success, while England sought to reclaim dominance after getting outplayed by Rohit Sharma-led team India in the subcontinent. As Anderson took to the field to bowl the first ball of his final Test, the atmosphere at Lord's resonated with a mixture of reverence and anticipation, marking the beginning of a memorable conclusion to an illustrious international career.
