Sangakkara hailed Anderson's 600 Test wickets feat as "tremendous achievement".
Sri Lankan cricket legend Kumar Sangakkara has showered rich praise on veteran pacer James Anderson after his latest “tremendous achievement” as England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker recently became the first-ever fast-bowler to take 600 Test wickets.
The 38-year-old scripted the history after taking the wicket of Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali during Day Five of the third and final Test of the recently-concluded series on August 25, 2020, in Southampton.
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Anderson is only behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Australia's Shane Warne (708) and India's Anil Kumble (619) – all retired cricketers, in the all-time list of Test wicket-takers.
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) President, in an email to club members published on Saturday (August 29), said it was his “great privilege to play against Anderson” while saying the veteran bowler’s latest feat was a “joyful moment for the ages” and “an exceptional achievement.”
Sangakkara said: “Jimmy is a fast bowler of immense skill and determination. His achievement is tremendous, not just for the fact that it is 600 wickets, but also for what that entails in terms of effort, commitment and reinvention. He has set a record for current and future pace bowlers to chase, but it may just be one record that will be Jimmy's and Jimmy's alone.”
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The 42-year-old added, “It was my great privilege to play against him and I now share with you the enjoyment of watching him from beyond the boundary rope for as long as he may continue.”
Meanwhile, Sangakkara, who is the first overseas president in the 233-year-old history of MCC, thanked all the club members for the extension to his tenure. Since no international cricket has been played at Lord's due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sangakkara's time in office has been extended by 12 months.
Former Sri Lanka captain signed off by saying, “I would like to thank you (the MCC membership) for your support in granting an extension to my term as president.”
(With AFP Inputs)