James Anderson 500 And Counting

When he started his career, there was no hope of seeing him at the top, often breaking down because of his injuries...

- Kumar Abhishek

Joining league of greats and touching magical numbers is a dream which every cricketer is born with. Playing for his national team, winning and contributing for squad, is something required to be among genuine players. There have been or are players, who will rise from nowhere, writing their names among great cricketers. James Anderson, the spearhead of England, recently achieved a milestone, which has got only few names before him. He was standing on the cusp of this record, making sure he has in his grasp against West Indies. He became the sixth bowler to pick 500 or more wickets in Test cricket. The England fast bowler achieved the feat after he dismantled the stumps behind West Indies batsman Kraigg Brathwaite during the second innings of their third and final match of the series at Lord’s. He is the first England bowler to achieve the feat. Moreover, the right hand bowler also became the third seamer to enter the tally. The record of the highest number of wickets in longest format is held by Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan who has 800 dismissals to his name. He is followed by Shane Warner (708), Anil Kumble (619), Glenn McGrath (563) and Courtney Walsh (519). When he started his career, there was no hope of seeing him at the top, often breaking down because of his injuries. Taking just 62 wickets from 20 Test matches and that too at an average of 39.20 was a pretty ordinary return from a fast bowler. It was hardly a start that suggested that he would become one of the most prolific bowlers in Test cricket. The breakthrough moment of his career came in 2008, where he displayed his tru