England captain Ben Stokes shared James Anderson’s reaction following debutant Gus Atkinson’s pivotal wicket in the first Test against the West Indies. Stokes mentioned that Atkinson had apologized to Anderson for dismissing Jayden Seales to seal England’s victory in the match.
James Anderson concluded his illustrious international cricket career after England’s triumph over the West Indies in the opening Test of their three-match series at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Friday, July 12. Anderson, widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the sport, retired as the leading fast bowler with over 700 Test wickets to his name.
Gus Atkinson played a crucial role in the match, claiming 12 wickets across both innings on his debut. His dismissal of Jayden Seales secured England’s win by an innings and 114 runs, earning Atkinson the “Player of the Match” award for his exceptional bowling performance.
Gus Atkinson Actually Apologised To James Anderson – Ben Stokes
During the post-match press conference, Ben Stokes said that Gus Atkinson felt that James Anderson deserved a fairytale ending like Stuart Broad’s. Stokes stated that Anderson responded to Atkinson’s apology with a laugh, which showcased his selflessness.
“Gus took that last wicket and he actually apologized to Jimmy and Jimmy just laughed at him and just went ‘no, mate’. You know someone who deserved their fairytale ending like Broady (Stuart Broad) got, to put a young teammate first, I think that says a lot about Jimmy Anderson the person,” Stokes said.In his farewell Test, the 41-year-old needed 9 wickets to surpass Shane Warne’s tally of 708 and become the highest wicket-taker in Tests. He took just one wicket in the first innings but claimed three more in the second. Anderson picked up 704 wickets in 188 Test matches at an impressive average of 26.46.
I Said He Was Going To Bowl – Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes expressed his determination to provide James Anderson with ample opportunities to claim the final wicket of the match. Stokes emphasized that he was committed to allowing Anderson to continue bowling until the last opposition batsman was dismissed, regardless of the time it might take.
“I didn’t tell Jimmy, but I said he was always going to bowl until we took that last wicket. However long it took, I wasn’t going to take him off. Even if he said he was tired, I was like, ‘you gotta keep going here’,” Stokes further stated.
In April, the England team management communicated to James Anderson their plan to gradually phase him out during this summer’s fixtures, aiming to prioritize preparation for the Ashes series in Australia in 2026. Anderson, the seasoned right-arm pacer, expressed enthusiasm about continuing his involvement with the England Test team in a mentoring capacity for the remainder of the English summer.
James Anderson boasts an impressive record of 188 Test matches, making him the second-most capped Test cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar (200 matches). His career highlights include holding the record for the most wickets caught by a wicketkeeper, with 249 dismissals credited to his name. Additionally, Anderson ranks second among fast bowlers in terms of total wickets taken, amassing a remarkable tally of 137 wickets.
