James Anderson completes 1,000 wickets in First-class cricket: Records broken
Veteran fast bowler James Anderson has completed 1,000 wickets in First-class cricket. The 38-year-old reached the milestone on Day 2 of Lancashire's County Championship match against Kent at Emirates Old Trafford. Anderson, who entered the game with 995 First-class wickets, snapped up a five-wicket haul with the new ball. He has become the 216th player to touch the 1,000-wicket mark in the format.
Anderson is the first player to take 1,000 First-class wickets after making debut in the 21st century. He is the first player with this feat since Sri Lanka's Dinuka Hettiarachchi (May 2019). Notably, Andrew Caddick was the last fast bowler before Anderson to do so (August 2005). Anderson has also become the first Englishman with 1,000 FC wickets since Robert Croft in September 2007.
All the seven wickets from Jimmy Anderson's record-breaking day 🔥pic.twitter.com/VHAwSqpOtG
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) July 5, 2021
Anderson made his First-class debut for Lancashire in May 2002. Ever since, he has picked up 1,002 wickets from 262* matches at an average of under 25. The formidable tally includes over 50 five-wicket hauls and six 10-fors. Interestingly, no other player has taken more FC wickets than Anderson since his debut. Tim Murtagh is his closest rival with 856 wickets.
Upon completing 1,000 FC wickets, Anderson also registered his best bowling figures in the format (7/19). His previous best innings haul in the format was 7/42 in 2017 during the third Test at Lord's against West Indies, when he had completed 500 Test wickets.
Anderson made his First-class debut at the age of 19. He took his maiden wicket in the form of Surrey opener, Ian Ward. Thereafter, he went on to become the most successful fast bowler in Test cricket. Last year, he became the first-ever fast bowler to take 600 Test wickets. He has the fourth-most Test wickets after Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, and Anil Kumble.
Despite playing as a Test specialist since 2015, Anderson still remains the leading wicket-taker for England in ODI cricket. He has picked up 269 scalps at 29.22 in the format. Anderson is followed by former English bowler Darren Gough, who took 235 wickets.
Out of 1,000, Anderson has taken 937 of his FC wickets while opening the bowling. Notably, 825 of them have been registered with Anderson taking the first over. He has dismissed a batter for duck 161 times in FC cricket with 105 of those coming in Tests. Anderson took his maiden wicket, 100th wicket, 200th wicket, 700th wicket, and 1000th wicket at Old Trafford.
"It sounds ridiculous to think I've taken 1,000 wickets. To get 1,000 wickets is becoming harder with the amount of cricket that is played across the world and it is getting less likely that it will happen again," Anderson said after reaching the landmark. "I could potentially be the last person to do it which just adds to the feeling of it being special."
