James Anderson passed the torch to Gus Atkinson on an emotional final day as a Test cricketer as England thumped West Indies by an innings and 114 runs.
The most prolific seamer ever to play the game treated Lord’s to one last wicket as his side wrapped up a thumping victory by an innings and 114 runs, making Josh Da Silva his 704th victim of a record-breaking career with a classic piece of swing and seam.
James Anderson (Pic – STEVE BOND/PPAUK/Shutterstock/BackpagePix)
But the chance to bow out with one last moment of triumph to finish things off, just as his old running buddy Stuart Broad did against Australia last summer, slipped through his fingers when he put down a straightforward caught and bowled chance from Gudakesh Motie.
And so, it fell to Atkinson to wrap things up on debut as he claimed three of the last four wickets, including last man Jayden Seales, to finish with five for 61.
In doing so the Surrey man completed a remarkable achievement of his own, taking five-fours in both innings to finish with match figures of 12 for 106. Incredibly, Anderson had never taken 12 in a glittering 21-year career spanning 188 caps.
The West Indies, who have been extras in Anderson’s farewell story all week, limped along to 136 all out as England handed their long-time leading man the 83rd Test win, a historic streak that started at the same ground against Zimbabwe in 2003.
Anderson concluded with three for 32 at a typically frugal economy rate of two an over.
No reminders were needed about who the occasion belonged to but, if there was any doubt at all, a quick glance at the big screen – which carried an image of Anderson with arms outstretched and the words ‘the greatest’ – settled it.
The man himself was bashful as he made his way through a guard of honour at the start of play, hurrying through the human tunnel with nothing more dramatic than a thumbs up and a nod towards his family on the balcony of the pavilion.
After one delivery from Atkinson, completing an over that ended prematurely with the wicket of Jason Holder on Thursday evening, Anderson was back where he really wanted to be: at the top of his mark with a Dukes ball in his hand.
He started, as he so often has done, with a maiden before giving the faithful the early wicket they craved.
His seventh ball of the morning was an archetypal Anderson dismissal, swinging in from just outside the off stump and then shaping away as Da Silva presented the face of the bat.
A thin edge carried easily into Jamie Smith’s gloves and Anderson whirled away, beaming as he collected his third ovation in the space of five minutes.
That left three more wickets to get, with Anderson needing two to sign off with a five-for.
His chances receded when Atkinson snapped up Alzarri Joseph, who showed no interest in hanging around as he stepped away and threw his bat with abandon.
It took a smart catch from Ben Duckett, making good ground at fine leg, as he became the eighth Englishman to take 10 in his first Test.
With one chapter ending for this England side, the 26-year-old was doing a perfect job of starting the next.
Atkinson took the West Indies to the brink when he clattered Shamar Joseph’s off stump with a fast yorker – a habit Anderson once had in his younger, quicker days but one that has given way to a more subtle range of skills and tricks.
By now the whole ground was willing Anderson to finish things off with the match-winning wicket, just as his old partner Stuart Broad did against Australia last summer, but he fluffed a perfect chance to close the book in style.
After Atkinson did his bit by sliding a couple of innocuous deliveries down the leg side, Anderson persuaded Motie to push a gentle return catch back at him.
It was, by any standards, a gentle chance but when Anderson instinctively thrust his left hand towards the ball, it popped back out and squirmed free.
He managed a rueful smile before returning to his work, with muted shouts of ‘catch it’ as Jayden Seales flicked towards square leg and a stifled lbw appeal against Motie.
There was an air of inevitability that it would fall to Atkinson to finish things off and Duckett played his part with a boundary catch to bring down the curtain on one of the country’s greatest sporting endeavours.
