James Anderson ends Test career with 704 wickets as England thrash West Indies at Lord’s
London, Jul 12: It's 704 wickets and out for Jimmy Anderson.
The most prolific fast bowler in test history bowed out of international cricket by helping England complete a win by an innings and 114 runs over the West Indies at Lord's on Friday.
The 41-year-old Anderson's 188th and last test ended with him taking 3-32 in the West Indies' second innings as they were dismissed for 136 a little over an hour into the third day's play.
One of those wickets came on Friday, with Anderson enticing an edge behind off Joshua Da Silva with a delivery that seamed away. It was classic Anderson — unlike the caught-and-bowled chance he dropped off Gudakesh Motie with England needing just one more wicket for victory.
He fell to his knees and covered his face with his hand.
Soon, he was walking off the field at the home of cricket — in front of his parents, wife and children — to a standing ovation after Gus Atkinson took the final wicket.
The morning had started with Anderson, who doesn't like being the center of attention, looking emotional after being given a guard of honor from both teams — and a first standing ovation from the crowd — when he came out at the start of the day's play.
Speaking after the match while holding a pint of Guinness in the England dressing room, Anderson said: “I feel about 55 after the overs I bowled this week.”
“Playing for England,” he added in an interview with Sky Sports, “is the best job in the world. I've been privileged to have done it for a long time.”
Atkinson, who represents the future of English pace bowling, took three of the wickets after the Windies resumed on 79-6 — still 171 runs adrift of making England batting again — and had match figures of 12-106 on test debut. He became the first England bowler to get a 10-wicket haul in a test at home since Alec Bedser in 1946.
Anderson finished his test career four wickets behind the late Australia legspinner Shane Warne's tally of 708 wickets. Only one bowler has more than them: former Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan with 800.
Anderson ended his test career where it started 21 years ago, when he ran in to bowl against Zimbabwe at Lord's with tinges of blond in his hair.
“I've been lucky to play with some amazing players, some of the most talented cricketers that have ever played the game,” he said. "And more importantly some really good blokes and friends I have made for life.
“Part of me is jealous that these lads get to experience that for the next few years,” he said, looking around the dressing room as his teammates listened to his every word. "The advice I would pass onto them is just enjoy every moment, because it's a great ride."
A legendary career 👏 James Anderson 🙌#WTC25 pic.twitter.com/sViECTJjPc
— ICC (@ICC) July 12, 2024
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Over 300 students from govt schools in Punjab qualify JEE Mains 2026: Education minister
Chandigarh (PTI): Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Saturday said 305 students from government schools qualified in their first attempt of the joint entrance examination (JEE) Mains 2026.
This number reflects an increase of 63 per cent from last year's 187 successful candidates, he said describing the achievement as a defining moment for the state's school education system.
Bains shared that five students from his constituency Sri Anandpur Sahib also cracked the prestigious examination.
He announced that the government will organise a special three-week residential training camp to prepare the qualified students for JEE Advance, ensuring they receive focused guidance for the next stage.
"This feat marks a moment of immense pride for our entire school education department. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our dedicated teachers. The recent JEE Mains Phase 1 results showcased an outstanding performance by the Punjab government schools, with 305 students cracking the competitive engineering exam," Bains said.
This feat represents a remarkable 63 per cent increase from last year's 187 qualifiers, he said.
"Achieving such a significant milestone in just one year is a testament to the transformative power of our Punjab 'Sikhya Kranti' initiative. We are committed to further accelerating our progress," the state education minister said.
He also shared that Bhavishya, a Class 12 non-medical student from the School of Eminence in Amritsar secured an impressive 98.182 percentile.
His father runs a mobile repair shop and his mother works as a tailor.
"Despite financial constraints, his determination to pursue engineering and uplift his family remained unshaken. With strong school support and disciplined preparation, he achieved outstanding success," he said.
He further informed that Dilkhush Jha, a government school student from Bathinda, scored 95.091 percentile in JEE Mains.
With his father being a labourer and mother a homemaker, and an annual family income of Rs 1.2 lakh, he relied on self-study.
Similarly, Priyanka Sharma, a science student from the School of Eminence, Sangrur, secured a 96.44 percentile in JEE Mains while simultaneously preparing for NEET.
Bains said no other state government has matched this scale of achievement in government schools.
He congratulated all 305 students and their parents, and thanked the teachers for making what he described as a historic day for Punjab's government school system.
