James Anderson Retires After England’s Big Win Over West Indies

Veteran seamer James Anderson, aged 41, has retired after a legendary Test career spanning 188 matches and over two decades. England celebrated a significant victory over West Indies by an innings and 114 runs at Lord’s on Friday.

Anderson’s Final Performance

Anderson took the first wicket of the day, dismissing Joshua Da Silva, which marked the beginning of the end for West Indies’ resistance. He finishes his career with 704 Test wickets, just four behind the late Shane Warne, making him the highest wicket-taking fast bowler in history.

Gus Atkinson’s Debut

On his Test debut, Gus Atkinson made a remarkable impact with a ten-wicket haul, earning a place on the Lord’s honours board. Atkinson’s seven-wicket haul in the first innings helped bowl West Indies out for 121, and he continued to shine in the second innings.

England’s Strong Performance

England took a substantial first-innings lead with five batters scoring half-centuries, totaling 371 runs. With a 250-run lead, England’s bowlers reduced West Indies to six wickets down by the end of day two. Anderson set the tone with a brilliant delivery to dismiss Kraigg Brathwaite.

World Test Championship Standings

This win is England’s fourth in the current ICC World Test Championship cycle, giving them 33 points and a points percentage of 25%. They are level with South Africa and Bangladesh in the bottom half of the standings. England lost 19 points due to slow over-rates during the Ashes series, affecting their chances of reaching the final next year.