James Anderson raises toast from Lord's balcony to conclude international career in style
July 12, 2024, marked the final appearance of the seasoned campaigner in the English whites.
As anticlimactic as it was for the 41-year-old luminary, James Anderson, to miss a straightforward chance off his own bowling that would have given him one final opportunity for a five-wicket haul, the debutant Gus Atkinson stepping in to take the final couple of wickets. As England got the advantage in the three-match series, the heartwarming congratulatory messages, the thunderous applause from the nostalgic crowd at Lord’s, and the guard of honour he received at the conclusion of the match, collectively made it a memorable day for the veteran.
A historic chapter of English cricket came to a close, and the end of a distinguished era was marked. However, these sentiments were overlooked by the English team, who were fully immersed in celebrating the occasion with the revered veteran. Following the post-match ceremony and after all the formalities concluded, the English team continued their jubilant celebrations in the dressing room. They encouraged Anderson to make his way to the iconic balcony. The legend complied, proceeding towards the balcony where skipper, Ben Stokes, awaited, already energizing the crowd that had gathered and filled the contours of the outfield.
Anderson, holding a mug filled to the brim with brewed beer, first acknowledged the boisterous crowd by waving and reciprocating their cheers. He then swiftly consumed the frothy beverage in one gulp, raising the beaker once more to salute the lively crowd, before retreating to the dressing room.
Significantly, Anderson concluded his career on a pinnacle, ranking as the third-highest wicket-taker in Test history with 704 dismissals to his credit, narrowly trailing the legendary Shane Warne's tally of 708 by just five wickets.
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