England clinches series with 1-0 win
Southampton: England paceman Jimmy Anderson became the first fast bowler to reach 600 wickets in Test cricket, before the third and final Test against Pakistan finished as a draw on Tuesday, leaving the home side to celebrate a second series victory of the pandemic-disrupted summer.
Less than two hours of cricket were played on a rain-affected Day 5, with England taking just two of the eight wickets needed to win the match at the Rose Bowl after Pakistan resumed on 100-2 and trailing by 210 runs.
The big consolation was Anderson took one of them, removing Pakistan captain Azhar Ali to join retired spinners Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble in the "600 club" in Tests.
England won the series 1-0, with its three-wicket victory in the first test in Manchester followed by two drawn tests in Southampton.
It was a first series triumph over Pakistan since 2010 and a second of the summer after beating the West Indies 2-1.
Pakistan was 187-4 when the teams settled on a draw, with 27.1 overs bowled on Tuesday. Babar Azam was 63 not out. The first two sessions were washed out because of heavy overnight rain and a subsequent drenched outfield.
After England captain Joe Root took a high catch at first slip off Azhar to give Anderson his prized wicket on his 14th delivery of the day, the 38-year-old fast bowler was mobbed by his teammates.
Then Anderson took the ball in his right hand and with a cheeky smile saluted all sides of the Rose Bowl, which is without spectators because of coronavirus restrictions. England coach Chris Silverwood applauded on the boundary edge.
Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708) and Anil Kumble (619) remain above Anderson on the all-time list of wicket-takers.
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Injured Phil Salt returns home for scans
New Delhi (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener Phil Salt has returned to England for scans on a finger injury sustained last month.
The injury has kept Salt out of RCB's last three matches, with compatriot Jacob Bethell stepping in at the top of the order.
The 29-year-old is reported to have "damaged a finger on his left hand" while diving to save a boundary at deep backward square leg during RCB's defeat to Delhi Capitals at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18.
"Salt, who is centrally contracted by the ECB, has since returned home at the request of England's management and has undergone scans on his finger," ESPNCricinfo reported.
According to the report, both RCB and Salt are hopeful of a speedy recovery and the opener can return to India later this month.
Salt had enjoyed a strong start to the season, amassing 202 runs in six innings at an impressive strike rate of 168.33.
RCB are currently second on the points table behind Punjab Kings. They take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Thursday next.
