KING JAMES
It’s 600 and counting as Anderson targets Aussies
JAMES ANDERSON celebrated his 600th Test wicket at last yesterday – then set his sights on the Australians and 700.
Anderson, 38, who had been on 599 overnight, had Azhar Ali caught by skipper Joe Root as play on the final day of the third and final Test against Pakistan started in the afternoon following a long rain delay.
The evergreen paceman proved he is as good as ever in the drawn Test that gave England a 1-0 series win.
And with no more Test cricket until 2021, he set his sights on heading Down Under one more time next year.
Anderson said: “I’ve chatted to Rooty about this a bit. He has said he would like me to be in Australia. I don’t see any reason why I can’t be. I’m working hard on my fitness all the time, I’m working hard on my game and I
feel like I’ve still got something to offer. I’ve not won my last Test as an England cricketer yet.
“It felt a bit emotional out there. I’m very proud and happy I could share it with good mates and, as long as they want me around, I’ll keep working hard and try to prove I’m good enough to play in this team.
“I absolutely love it. There is no better feeling than putting the boots on, going out there and doing what I love doing.
“There has been hard work involved in developing those skills so I can go out there and bowl the way I do but I still get satisfaction from putting a hard shift in, putting in 25 overs in a day.”
Anderson had to put in only a seven-over shift on the final day as he got the wicket that made him the one fast bowler to have reached the 600 milestone. The other three are spinners.
Asked if he might fancy getting to 700, Anderson said: “Why not? Who knows what else there is?
“We’re still in the Test championship, still series ahead of us, Test matches to win and that’s all I’m really interested in.
“I still love turning up every day at training, putting in the hard yards and being in the dressing room with the lads trying to forge a win for England.
“That’s all I’ve really ever bothered about and what I’ll keep trying to do.”
Team-mate Stuart Broad said of his friend and team-mate’s milestone: “You can’t really put it into words, it’s just phenomenal.
“It doesn’t feel two minutes ago he broke Glenn McGrath’s record at The Oval against India.
“He has got better with age and is someone who has inspired me throughout my career. The last five years in particular he’s gone from strength to strength.”