England seamer James Anderson retired from international cricket and he revealed that it still pinches him to miss the catch off his bowling on day 3 of the 1st Test against the West Indies at Lord’s. However, the 41-year-old took pride in playing for 21 years, claiming it to be an impressive feat for a fast bowler.
Legendary England bowler James Anderson retired from international cricket on Friday (July 12), after his team trounced the West Indies in the first Test at Lord’s. Anderson retired as the most successful fast bowler in Test cricket history, with 704 wickets, trailing only Shane Warne for second place. Following his retirement on Day 3 of the Lord’s Test against the West Indies, social media users showered the renowned bowler with well-wishes.
After the game, the 41-year-old opened up on his career and stated it was a privilege for him to represent England for over two decades. He revealed that the morning of Day 3 was tough, especially during the guard of honour that was given by the players of both teams as the fans in attendance also gave him a standing ovation.
Anderson added that he was lucky to play cricket for such long as being injury-free and mentioned that he was proud to play for such long despite being a fast bowler.
“Obviously, this morning was very emotional with two teams lined up, and the crowd’s reaction was quite spectacular. I’m still trying to keep ’em back today, but I guess I’m simply really proud of playing for 20 years, which is an extraordinary achievement, especially for a fast bowler. So, I’m just happy that I’ve made it this far and that I’ve been fortunate enough to be injury-free for most of my career, and playing for England is the best job in the world, and I’ve been privileged to be able to do so for a long time,” Anderson said in the post-match presentation.
As a fitting finale, Anderson made a final appearance on the Lord’s balcony, raising a toast to the crowd that had gathered to bid him adieu. A viral video captured the emotional moment as the crowd sang a special song in his honor while Anderson enjoyed a celebratory drink.
