England fast bowler James Anderson will retire from test cricket after the match against the West Indies at Lord's in July, bringing an end to one of the most remarkable careers in the history of the international game.
It will be the 41-year-old Anderson's 188th test match — only India great Sachin Tendulkar has more with 200 — and gives him one more chance to add to his total of 700 test wickets, comfortably the most by a pacer. Only spinners Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan have more test wickets.
“It’s been an incredible 20 years representing my country, playing the game I’ve loved since I was a kid," Anderson, who made his test debut in 2003 also at Lord's, said on Saturday.
“I’m going to miss walking out for England so much. But I know the time is right to step aside and let others realize their dreams just like I got to, because there is no greater feeling.”
The announcement by Anderson came after he had an appraisal with England test coach Brendon McCullum, who made a visit to Britain from his native New Zealand. The pair spoke over a round of golf.
“My future is obviously something that's been chatted about — I feel like we've been talking about it for 10 years and with every coach that I've had,” Anderson told the BBC. "It was just looking ahead, could a 43-year-old me make the Ashes in 18 months’ time? And I sort of came to the decision probably not, it feels like a stretch at this stage in my career.
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“There are 15 or so tests before the Ashes (in 2025-26) so it gives England time to get other guys test matches and experience before then. We came to the decision that I will play one more test match.”
Anderson said he was looking forward to “filling my days with even more golf.”
“Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years, it’s always meant a lot, even if my face often doesn’t show it," he said. "See you at the test. Go well."
Anderson, who turns 42 on July 30, has taken just 15 wickets in his last eight tests at an average of 50.8 so England is looking to the future.
Stuart Broad, Anderson's long-time new-ball partner for England, retired from cricket last year.
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England plays three tests each against the West Indies and Sri Lanka. One of them against the Sri Lankans is at Manchester's Old Trafford, where Anderson has a stand named after him — but he'll have played his last test by then.
Nasser Hussain, who was England captain when Anderson made his test debut against Zimbabwe, said the pacer was “arguably our greatest ever cricketer.”
“He’s been a magnificent cricketer with everything he’s done on and off the field — his fitness, his form, his skill, his will to come back from adversity. It will be a very emotional week at Lord’s," Hussain said.
“But I think it’s a week he deserves, firstly because he deserves to be in that side. He is absolutely in England’s best XI still with the Dukes ball."