In a captivating encounter during James Anderson’s farewell Test at Lord’s, the iconic Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara faced off against South African pace maestro Dale Steyn. Sangakkara, celebrated for his batting prowess, faced a challenging delivery from Steyn, who bowled an impeccable inswinger. Initially, Sangakkara anticipated the ball would veer away and opted not to play a shot. However, to his surprise, the delivery subtly curved in from a good length, striking the top of off stump. Sangakkara, known for his astute judgment, was left bewildered as Steyn celebrated a remarkable display of skill in their enthralling duel on the cricket field.
In the video, Sangakkara can also be heard accepting his dismissal as he said, “He has got me out.” Former England cricketer and Sky Sports TV presenter Ian Ward was heard saying hilariously, “I gave you a dodgy guard Sanga, sorry.”
Watch – Kumar Sangakkara gets bowled by Dale Steyn
Sangakkara and Steyn have a history of engaging in thrilling encounters during their international cricket careers, characterized by memorable battles on the field.
The two cricketing stalwarts found themselves in a familiar scenario on Day 2 of the first Test between England and West Indies at Lord’s. By the end of the day’s play, West Indies were struggling at 79-6 in their second innings, with England poised to clinch a victory in the match. This situation mirrored previous intense contests between Sangakkara and Steyn, underscoring their competitive spirit and the excitement they brought to cricket enthusiasts worldwide.
England give James Anderson a perfect farewell
The following morning, England swiftly wrapped up West Indies’ innings before the lunch break, dismissing them for a paltry 136 runs. This secured England a commanding victory by an innings and 114 runs.
Ben Stokes and his team delivered a comprehensive performance, never allowing West Indies to gain momentum throughout the match. In the first innings, West Indies struggled to 121 all out, with none of their batsmen finding their footing against England’s disciplined bowling attack. Gus Atkinson starred with a remarkable 7-45, while James Anderson, Chris Woakes, and Ben Stokes chipped in with a wicket each.
England replied with a solid 371 in their first innings, propelled by noteworthy half-centuries from Zak Crawley, Joe Root, Ollie Pope, Harry Brook, and Jamie Smith. West Indies’ Jayden Seales took 4-77, while Jason Holder and Gudakesh Motie claimed two wickets each.
The match will be etched in memory as the farewell fixture for England’s illustrious James Anderson. Concluding his 22-year international career at Lord’s, Anderson contributed a notable 3-32 in his final international bowling spell, accumulating a remarkable total of 704 Test wickets. He retired as the third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history, with only Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne ahead of him.
