Jimmy Anderson is 300 club member
ENGLAND were contemplating another embarrassing scramble to deny New Zealand a Test victory last night, despite a memorable day at Lord’s for fast bowler Jimmy Anderson.
Anderson became only the fourth England bowler to reach 300 Test wickets as he dismissed the first two Kiwi batsmen when New Zealand began their reply at Lord’s.
Anderson claimed a third wicket too, and Steve Finn, above, the other, but New Zealand still finished the second day of the first Investec Test in the ascendancy on 153 for four, 79 behind the home side’s modest 232.
Just as they had to do twice in New Zealand during the Test series in March, lacklustre England faced another rearguard action to save face.
For Anderson, though, it was a day to savour. He said: “I was in touching distance of 300 in New Zealand but it didn’t happen for me and I’m happy to have got that out of the way early, I didn’t want it dragging on.”
Anderson joins Fred Trueman, Bob Willis and Sir Ian Botham with 300-plus Test victims, and the latter two were there to shake his hand on the outfield.
“It was strange having two of the guys who have done so much in the game, who I watched as a kid, there shaking your hand,” said Anderson.
When the late Trueman was asked how he felt to become the first Englishman to reach the landmark, he had said: ‘Bloody tired’.
“I’m feeling OK,” said Anderson when asked the same question.
“I’m not that old, I think I have a few more left in me.”
Anderson, 30, said he believed Botham’s England record of 383 was within his grasp: “I don’t see why not.”
But he added: “We didn’t bowl very well at Ross Taylor [66 runs] so his was an important wicket, as was Steve’s.
“That’s got us back in the game.”