ENG vs NZ: James Anderson becomes first pacer to complete 650 Test wickets

Veteran England pacer James Anderson took his 650th Test wicket to become the first pacer to do so. He clean bowled New Zealand stand-in skipper Tom Latham in the first over of New Zealand’s second innings of the ongoing second Test match in Nottingham to reach this feat. Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan ranks first with 800 Test wickets, followed by 708 by Australian spin ace Shane Warne.

Former Indian skipper Anil Kumble sits fourth in this chart with 619 wickets. Glenn McGrath ranks fifth in this elite list with 563 wickets but another English veteran Stuart Broad is closing on him with 543 wickets so far. Anderson is in no mood to slow down at the moment with no fitness issues and so it is fair to predict that he can reach the 700 Test-wicket mark and even go past Warne’s tally.

Notably, the 39-year-old pacer returned to the international setup with this series after getting dropped for the West Indies tour earlier this year. England lost that series by 0-1 and underwent some massive changes in the red-ball team, with all-rounder Ben Stokes taking captain’s duties and Brendon McCullum coming in place of head coach Chris Silverwood. Both Anderson and Stuart Broad made the starting eleven for the first match at Lords and took ten wickets combined to guide the Three Lions to a win.

James Anderson becomes the first pacer to complete 650 wickets in Test cricket – The GOAT 🐐 #Cricket #CricTracker #JamesAnderson #England #ENGvNZ #Test pic.twitter.com/TrRddu9mBa

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) June 13, 2022

James Anderson gives England an edge with an early wicket

Meanwhile, England ended Day 3 at 473/5 with Joe Root and Ollie Pope smashing centuries. However, the hosts were bundled out for 539 in the morning session of Day 4 with Kiwi left-arm pacer Trent Boult taking his tenth five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

First-ever pacer to pick 650 Test wickets – James Anderson 🐐 pic.twitter.com/eRHEdNuuK8

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) June 13, 2022

New Zealand started their innings with a narrow 14-run lead and Latham looked confident to lead his side to another big total by hitting a straight drive boundary on the fourth ball. But James Anderson clean bowled the opener with an excellent in-swing delivery on the next ball and gave England the start they wanted. New Zealand, playing without their star skipper Kane Williamson, will be looking to avoid further slip-ups before lunch on Day 4.