Player Profile

James Anderson OBE is the greatest fast bowler the game has ever produced, proving that statement beyond doubt in March 2024 when he became only the third bowler in history to reach the 700 Test Match wickets milestone.

In achieving the feat in India, Anderson, aged 41, joined Muttiah Muralitharan and the late Shane Warne on the list - both of those being spinners.

No other seamer is close to Anderson on the list, his great mate Stuart Broad (now retired) being the closest on 604.

In fact, it’s amazing to think that - at time of writing - the closest active seamer to Anderson is New Zealand captain Tim Southee on 379 wickets.

Not only has Anderson performed time and time again for England, he has for Lancashire as well when given the opportunity, and he helped the Red Rose win the County Championship in 2011.

In the summer of 2021, the Burnley Express - as he is nicknamed - claimed his 1,000th first-class victim whilst playing for Lancashire in a Championship match against Kent at Emirates Old Trafford.

It was an unbelievably special moment for all connected with Lancashire, as was the 700th Test wicket when he had Kuldeep Yadav caught behind in the fifth Test of that series at Dharamsala. Unfortunately, England lost the series.

Anderson - a master of seam and swing - has skill and determination in bucketloads, explaining his longevity in the game. But it hasn’t always been a smooth path for the new ball exponent.

He was surprisingly left out of a Test tour to the Caribbean in early 2022, but he quickly regained his place and has renewed vigour under the leadership of Test coach and captain Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.

In 2017, Lancashire honoured Anderson by renaming the Pavilion End of Emirates Old Trafford The James Anderson End.

He is a four-time Ashes winner, the first of which coincided with him being named as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 2009.

It is worth mentioning again. He also won the County Championship title with the Red Rose in 2011. Despite all of his achievements in international cricket, it remains one of Jimmy’s proudest moments.

Anderson debuted for Lancashire in 2001. He went on to take 50 first-class wickets in his first full domestic campaign the following summer, including nine in a landslide Championship win over Somerset at Blackpool.

That form earned the then 20-year-old a place on an England Academy winter tour to Australia. And, after a few injuries in the main England party, he was awarded his ODI debut against Australia at Melbourne that December.

Less than four months earlier, he had been playing Lancashire League cricket for Burnley.

Anderson subsequently gained a place in England’s 2003 World Cup (50-overs) squad, and he took a stunning 4-29 against Pakistan at Cape Town during that campaign. He has since featured at World Cups in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

He has not played an ODI since the latter campaign in Australia, retiring from white ball cricket shortly afterwards.

Anderson was awarded a first England central contract shortly after taking five wickets on Test debut against Zimbabwe at Lord’s in the summer of 2003, also adding to his growing reputation with an ODI hat-trick against South Africa.

In 2004, Anderson took 10 wickets in a first-class match for the first time - for Lancashire against Worcestershire.

His early career was beset by injury issues. Just think how many wickets he would have taken had, for example, he not suffered a back stress fracture to ruin 2006!

He won the Ashes in 2009 and claimed a series high 24 wickets in the 2010/11 success Down Under - England’s first away Ashes success in 24 years.

The summer to follow, he claimed 21 wickets and terrorised India as England became the number one Test team in the world. In between that, he played two Championship matches as Lancashire won the title and picked up his winner’s medal from Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace.

In 2010, Anderson had been part of England’s T20 World Cup title success in the Caribbean, meaning two titles in as many years.

Not only is Anderson England’s leading Test wicket-taker, he is also top of their list in all international cricket and was part of further Ashes successes in 2013 and 2015.

At the end of 2020, he was named in the ICC's Test Team of the Decade as voted for by a specialist panel combined with the results of an international public vote.

His 1,000th first-class wicket - against Kent in 2021 - came as part of a career best haul of 7-19.

He is 13 Test appearances away from 200.

Off the field, he is also a co-host of the BBC Tailenders Podcast with Greg James amongst others.