England fast bowler James Anderson has become the leading fast bowling wicket-taker of all time – with a clean bowl that won the fifth and final test.
The swing bowler overtook Glenn McGrath by claiming his 564th international wicket against India in the final day of the test series.
The ‘Burnley Express’ removed Mohammed Shami to win the match by 118 runs through the final session to leave the tourists on 345.
Anderson was visibly emotional at the close of play – more so having stepped off the field with Cook for one last time than having claimed such an impressive individual record.
"I’m happy that Cooky was on the field to see that wicket," he said. "It’s been a tough week.
"He is my best mate and it’s been brilliant to be there (for Cook’s career)."
Anderson’s record breaker meant that close friend Cook got the send off he deserved, with the opener playing his final ever test.
Before the emotional ending, Virhat Kohli’s team had forged a fierce rearguard action after being set 464 to win.
KL Rahul’s fifth Test hundred was a thing of beauty while Rishabh Pant’s maiden century was as powerful a rearguard Test innings as you will see.
But once that partnership was over, Anderson finished the job.
During the fourth day Anderson struck twice in the second over.
First Dhawan went and then Pujara quickly followed, both lbw, to move Anderson level with McGrath’s all-time world record for a fast bowler of 563 Test wickets.
England’s incredible start continued in the next over when Broad took the wicket of Kohli for a duck to leave India 2-3.
But they regrouped to have make Root nervous in the final day – until Adil Rashid removed both Pant and Rahul to set up Anderson for the final wicket in Alastair Cook’s final match.
Anderson still has some way to go to topple the all-time test wicket holder.
Spin-bowling Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan took 800 wickets in his test career before retiring in 2010.
The bowling order
Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 800 wickets in 133 matches
Shane Warne (Australia) – 708 wickets in 145 matches
Anil Kumble (India) – 619 wickets in 132 matches
James Anderson (England) – 564 wickets in 143 matches
Glenn McGrath (Australia) – 563 wickets in 124 matches
Anderson’s milestone wickets
James Anderson became England’s record Test wicket-taker when he passed Ian Botham’s mark of 383 in 2015.
He went into the second innings of the fifth Test two wickets shy of McGrath’s total of 563 but overtook that haul.
Here are his milestone wickets…
1. Mark Vermeulen (bowled) v Zimbabwe at Lord’s, 2003.
50. MS Dhoni (caught Ian Bell) v India at Lord’s, 2007
100. Jacques Kallis (lbw) v South Africa at the Oval, 2008
150. Graeme Smith (caught Matt Prior) v South Africa at Newlands, 2010
200. Peter Siddle (caught Paul Collingwood) v Australia at Perth, 2010
250. Lahiru Thirimanne (caught Graeme Swann) v Sri Lanka at Galle, 2012
300. Peter Fulton (caught Graeme Swann) v New Zealand at Lord’s, 2013
350. Angelo Mathews (caught Alastair Cook) v Sri Lanka at Lord’s, 2014
384. Dinesh Ramdin (caught Alastair Cook) v West Indies at Antigua, 2015
400. Martin Guptill (caught Ian Bell) v New Zealand at Headingley, 2015
450. Rangana Herath (lbw) v Sri Lanka at Durham, 2016
500. Kraigg Brathwaite (bowled) v West Indies at Lord’s, 2017
550. Murali Vijay (caught Jonny Bairstow) v India at Lord’s, 2018
563. Cheteshwar Pujara (lbw) v India at the Oval, 2018
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