English pacer James Anderson took his 30th five-wicket haul on Saturday, January 23, in the second Test against Sri Lanka. Anderson achieved this feat on Day 2 of the Test between played between England and Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium. He rose above the conditions on a hot and humid day to produce outstanding performance and end with figures of six for 40. This was his best Test figures in Sri Lanka since 2012. His fifth wicket was Niroshan Dickwella.
With this, the pacer now has 606 wickets in the longest format of the game. Apart from Dickwella, Anderson’s other victim were Suranga Lakmal, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Perera, Oshada Fernando and Lahiru Thirimanne. In the list of bowlers with most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket, Anderson is now at sixth position. With this five-wicket haul, he overtook former Australian fast bowler, Glenn McGrath. Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is at the top of the list with 67 five-wicket hauls in Test cricket.
After he achieved this feat, ICC put up a tweet on its official handle, which read: “30th five-wicket haul for James Anderson in Tests.”
30th five-wicket haul for James Anderson in Tests 🙌He now has 6️⃣0️⃣5️⃣ wickets in the format 🌟
He gets Niroshan Dickwella for 92!#SLvENG pic.twitter.com/IpXvZ8nh9J
— ICC (@ICC) January 23, 2021
Twitter was abuzz after Anderson’s acheivements. While one user, posted: “Isn’t he the fittest legend ever??”, another asked: “Will James Anderson end his career with 700 wkts ? (sic)”
Hot day in Galle,38 Years of Age,Flat Wicket,Bowled 26+ Overs and still going strong,Bowling at mid 130ks,Conceded at RR less than 2,Picked up FiferAll this after playing 156 tests, country cricket, 194 ODIs and few T20Is.
Isn’t he the fittest legend ever??
— Tharun Kumar (@TarunJnds) January 23, 2021
Bad luck for Dickwella , missed his maiden 💯 in 40 test !& Will James Anderson end his career with 700 wkts ?— Aash Mehta (@iamaashmehta) January 23, 2021
Few Twitter users also posted that it was time he got his due outside England. One user stated: “Probably doesn’t get the respect he is due outside of England.”
greatest fast bowlers :
Anderson is of the greatest to ever do it, and probably doesn’t get the respect he is due outside of England. #cricket— JM (@iamjohnm) January 23, 2021
Drawing comparisons with Anderson’s teammate Stuart Broad, another person wrote: “At the rate Jimmy is picking up wickets, it is very very tough for Broad to beat Anderson’s final tally of test wickets (sic)”
What do I see, oh an anxious Stuart Broad. Honestly at the rate Jimmy is picking up wickets, it is very very tough for Broad to beat Anderson’s final tally of test wickets😂— MaheshNagamuni (@NMahesh77) January 23, 2021
Looking at his performance, another user said that he could be “massive threat” for India in the Test series that gets underway on February 5 on Indian soil.
Should be massive threat for us … Can’t wait to see him— Darshan (@Darshan1389) January 23, 2021
Broad has 517 Test wickets, in comparison to Anderson’s 606. However, at 34, Broad is four years younger than Anderson and still has a few years of cricket left in him.
Anderson is now the fourth-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, behind Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets), Shane Warne (708 wickets) and Anil Kumble (619 wickets).England restricted Sri Lanka to a first-innings total of 381. In reply, they were 98 for the loss of two wickets at the end of Day 2. England won the first of the two Tests at Galle a few days ago.
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