Few bowlers have had as much success at Lord’s as James Anderson.
In 23 Test Matches at the Ground, he has bowled 5,439 balls and taken 103 wickets at an average of 23.89, making him the leading Test wicket-taker at the Home of Cricket. One of those cricketers who just seems to get better and better, some of his most recent Tests at Lord’s have brought his finest performances at the Ground - hauls of 5 for 20 and 4 for 23 against India in 2018, and a match-winning spell of 7 for 42 (four clean-bowled, three caught behind) against West Indies in 2017. He made his Test debut against Zimbabwe at Lord’s in 2003 and took 5 for 73. More five-wicket hauls followed with two against India – 5 for 42 in 2007 and 5 for 65 in 2011, and 5 for 47 against New Zealand in 2013. Few fast bowlers in recent years have shown Anderson’s level of skill with the moving ball.
Anderson claimed his 500th wicket when he bowled Kraigg Braithwaite, the first of his wickets in that spell of 7 for 42 against West Indies, also his best bowling spell in Tests. He was only the third fast bowler to reach the landmark after Courtney Walsh and Glenn McGrath, and the first Englishman to do so. He has now bowled more balls than any other fast bowler in Test history and stands fourth on the list of all bowlers behind Shane Warne, Anil Kumble and Muttiah Muralitharan.