Steyn salutes Anderson for wicket record

To quote Mohammed Shami’s middle stump nine balls after the last drinks interval at The Oval on Tuesday‚ “Clunk.”

With that England beat India by 118 runs to seal the series 4-1.

And James Anderson‚ whose inswinger to Shami would have been too good for many proper batsmen‚ nevermind a No 10‚ became‚ in his 143rd Test‚ the most successful fast bowler in the history of the game.

Anderson’s 564 wickets took him past the previous owner of that honour‚ Glenn McGrath‚ and put him behind only Muttiah Muralitharan‚ Shane Warne and Anil Kumble among the 2,932 men who have dared to mark out a runup in a Test.

No-one can work out how someone as awkward as Alastair Cook ended up as England’s leading run-scorer‚ but there is no surprise that a sleek thoroughbred like Anderson is top of his heap.

All those sniping away swingers delivered with an action as strong and smooth as silk itself had to amount to something big.

“It’s a little freaky that he’s 36 and still going‚ and almost 150 Tests is also amazing‚” one of Anderson’s supporters‚ Dale Steyn‚ told TimesLIVE.

Did the fact that Anderson had the most wickets by a pace bowler make him the best quick out there?

“I’m a fan of fast bowling and very often change my opinion on who’s the best bowler by who I currently feel inspired by‚” Steyn said.

“It’s just opinion. It doesn’t matter if he’s the best or not: look at what he’s achieved‚ that’s indisputable.”

Steyn spoke from Southampton‚ where he is playing for Hampshire.

“Currently I’m in English conditions so watching Jimmy is definitely going to gear me up to bowl better here.

“That would change if I was‚ say‚ in SA watching Morné [Morkel] or ‘Vern’ [Vernon Philander].

“But [Anderson] is officially the most successful fast bowler of all time. That’s pretty awesome‚ and something not many others will have the opportunity of achieving.

“Well done to him – richly deserved.”

Similar sentiments have come Steyn’s way over the years‚ and more will follow when he takes his next wicket and passes Shaun Pollock’s total of 421 to become SA’s highest wicket-taker‚ regardless of bowling style.

A slew of injuries in the past three years has threatened to derail him but a match haul of 7/71 against Somerset this week means he is on track to claim the record.

No-one can work out how someone as awkward as Cook ended up as England’s leading run-scorer‚ but there is no surprise that a sleek thoroughbred like Anderson is top of his heap