England's veteran fast bowler James Anderson completed 1000 First-Class wickets during a County Championship match on Monday (July 5). Playing for Lancashire, Anderson picked up 7/19 against Kent, who were bowled out for just 74 at the Old Trafford.
Anderson became the first Lancashire player to bag 1000 First-Class wickets after Jack Simmons who achieved this feat in 1988. The 38-year-year is the overall 216th bowler to touch the 1000-wicket mark in First-Class cricket.
“I’m away a lot with England and don’t get to play much for Lancashire so it makes it that much more special to do it here and with a performance that helps the team."
“It was a lifelong dream to play for Lancashire. It feels special to get the milestone here where I took my first wicket. Getting Ian Ward out here is something I’ll never forget," he said.
But there are possibilities that he might be the last bowler to achieve this record, considering the busy international schedule these days.
“To get 1,000 first-class wickets is becoming harder with the amount of cricket that is played across the world. It is getting less and less likely that it will happen again. I could potentially be the last person to do it, which just adds to the feeling of it being very, very special," he said.
Andrew Caddick was the last fast bowler before Anderson to do so in August 2005. The English pacer also registered his best bowling figures in the format (7/19) while completing 1000 Test wickets. His previous best innings haul in the format was 7/42 in 2017 during the third Test at Lord's against West Indies.
“I have been doing loads of work in the nets and all I was thinking about was grooving my action and working on some stuff – I wanted to make sure I bowled well and got into that rhythm. I felt really good from ball one. Sometimes you can just feel that way from the moment the ball comes and you know it’s going to be a good day."
“The first ball went exactly where I wanted it to go and it swung. The conditions were favorable," he said.
