Jimmy Anderson edges closer to 500th Test wicket for England vs West Indies

Anderson celebrates his first wicket on Thursday
AFP/Getty Images
Tom Collomosse7 September 2017

Jimmy Anderson edged closer to his 50th Test wicket by taking the first two for England in the winner-takes-all Test against West Indies on Thursday.

Anderson needed to strike three times in this game to join West Indian Courtney Walsh and Australia’s Glenn McGrath as one of only three seamers to reach the landmark in Test history.

Bowling from the Pavilion End, the 35-year-old claimed his first victim when Kraigg Brathwaite was unsure whether to play or to leave an outswinger. The opener tried to withdraw his bat, but could not do so in time and was caught behind for 10. Anderson's next came as Kyle Hope edged for Jonny Bairstow to take a fine diving catch behind.

Brathwaite could have been dismissed earlier had Alastair Cook not dropped another relatively straightforward chance at first slip off Anderson, when the batsman had three.

The former skipper also put down two opportunities in the last Test at Headingley, which West Indies won to square the series.

Anderson was causing problems for Kieran Powell and Hope, with batting conditions increasingly difficult under grey skies - though the curious ‘fairy rings’ visible on the square made no early difference to the ball’s behaviour.

AFP/Getty Images

West Indies captain Jason Holder may have regretted his decision to bat after winning the toss, though he had a chance to collect his thoughts when the players were taken off for rain after an hour’s play.

This is England’s last Test before the Ashes and captain Joe Root was hoping for answers from some of his players whose places are in doubt.

He made only one change to the team surprisingly beaten at Headingley, where West Indies levelled the series with a five-wicket win. On his home ground, Toby Roland-Jones was recalled at the expense of Chris Woakes, meaning struggling batsman Tom Westley was retained at No3.

Root and coach Trevor Bayliss desperately needed Westley to score runs, or they would be left without a reliable No3 ahead of the first Test against Australia in Brisbane in two-and-a-half months’ time.

The first priority, though, was to win the Investec Series against a West Indies side given little chance after they were thrashed inside three days in the day/night Test at Edgbaston last month.

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