England great Anderson retires with one final flourish

James Anderson concluded his illustrious 21-year international cricket career with his 704th and final wicket on Friday during England's commanding victory over West Indies, drawing heartfelt tributes from teammates and cricket legends alike.

At 41 years and 348 days old, the veteran seamer dismissed Joshua Da Silva, caught behind on his final day of test cricket. Anderson missed the chance to make it 705 wickets when he dropped a straightforward catch from Gudakesh Motie, a moment he later reflected on with a smile.

"I am still gutted I dropped that catch," he shared with Sky Sports while enjoying a pint in the England dressing room.

Despite the missed catch, Anderson showcased his exceptional skill for one last time in front of an appreciative Lord's crowd, consistently beating the outside edge with his trademark seam and swing.

He ended the match with figures of 4-58 and expressed his sadness at leaving the highest level of competition, emphasizing the unmatched joy of winning a test match.

When asked about his future plans, Anderson, who is set to join the England coaching staff, said: "I've not really thought that far ahead. I'm going to stick around with these guys for the rest of the summer, try and help the bowling group out as much as I can, and we'll see where life takes us after that."

Having bowled his 40,000th delivery in test cricket on day two, more than any other seam bowler and placing him fourth on the all-time list, Anderson has certainly earned a break.

England captain Ben Stokes hailed Anderson as "an incredible inspiration for so many people," adding, "He's really keen to help the fast bowlers in his coaching role. I don't think I could think of a better person to do that."

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite acknowledged Anderson as a "legend of the game," though he admitted he would not miss facing him.

England & Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould remarked, "Jimmy has rightly earned a place as one of the all-time iconic names from world cricket. It is a testament to the way he has combined his rare talent with outstanding professionalism and work ethic that he bows out still bowling so well more than 20 years after his Test debut."

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar praised Anderson on X, saying, "It has been a joy to watch you bowl - with that action, speed, accuracy, swing, and fitness. You've inspired generations with your game."

While Anderson leaves a significant void, debutant Gus Atkinson impressed with 12 wickets, helping England secure victory by an innings and 114 runs. Anderson lauded Atkinson, even though the young paceman's success meant Anderson couldn't surpass Shane Warne (708) on the all-time test wicket-takers list.

"He's going to be an amazing cricketer for England," Anderson said.

Stokes shared a light-hearted moment, revealing that Atkinson had apologized to Anderson for taking the final wicket. Anderson's competitive spirit shone through one last time as he told Atkinson to "eff off," Stokes recounted with a smile