XtraTime Web Desk: England pace semsation James Anderson has written his name in the history books on Tuesday after he became the only fourth bowler in the game to claim 600 Test wickets during the 3rd Test match against Pakistan in Southampton.
Anderson has achieved this milestone after dismissing Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali for 31 in the second innings. Joe Root completed the catch in the slips. England enforced the follow-on after Anderson’s five-wicket haul helped bundle out Pakistan for 273 in the first innings. England put on a massive 583/8 declared in their first innings.
Interestingly, Anderson is the first pace bowler to breach the 600-wicket mark in Test cricket. The previous three bowlers to do it – Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan and Anil Kumble – were all spinners.
Anderson already had the distinction of being the most prolific fast bowler of all time in Test cricket in 2018, surpassing Australian great Glenn McGrath who took 563 wickets.
Anderson could have reached the milestone on either Day 3 or Day 4 of the Test itself but a combination poor fielding, bad light and rain made him wait till the second half of the final day of the series.