The 40-year-old English right-arm pacer James Anderson created a new history in international cricket on Saturday (August 28) during the Manchester Test against South Africa. The veteran Anderson became the first pacer to complete 950 international wickets after surpassing legendary Australian pacer Glenn McGrath on the top of the record book of most international wickets as a pace bowler.
It was the third day of the second game of the three-match Test series between the hosts England and the visitors South Africa at Manchester. While the hosts were trailing this series by 1-0 before the Manchester Test match, they have leveled this series with an innings win in this latest Test (won by an innings and 85 runs).
After the visitors scored 151 runs in the first innings of the Manchester Test after winning the toss, England replied with 415/9 decl. In their second innings, South Africa were bowled out for 179 runs to lose the Test by an innings.
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James Anderson has now taken 951 international wickets
English pacer James Anderson, who took six wickets in the latest Manchester Test, had the bowling figures of 15-4-30-3 during South Africa’s second innings. Anderson got all those three wickets of that innings on Saturday.
Early in the day, Anderson equalled Glenn McGrath’s record of 949 international wickets when he bowled the visiting skipper and opener Dean Elgar (11).
At the late moment of the day, James Anderson dominated with the fresh second new ball of that innings. At first, Simon Harmer (16) was bowled by the veteran English pacer to become the leading wicket-taker in international cricket history among the pacers with 950 international wickets.
Soon, Kagiso Rabada became Anderson’s 951st victim in international cricket after Joe Root successfully took a low catch at the first slip.
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Top five pacers with most wickets in international cricket
Player (Team) | Number of wickets | |||
Test | ODI | T20I | Total International | |
James Anderson (England) | 664 | 269 | 18 | 951 |
Glenn McGrath (Australia/ICC World XI) | 563 | 381 | 5 | 949 |
Wasim Akram (Pakistan) | 414 | 502 | - | 916 |
Shaun Pollock (South Africa/ICC World XI/Africa XI) | 421 | 393 | 15 | 829 |
Stuart Broad (England) | 559 | 178 | 65 | 802 |
In the meantime, James Anderson became the fourth bowler to complete 950 international wickets, while the first three bowlers were spinners.
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Bowlers with at least 950 international wickets
Player (Team) | Bowling style | Number of wickets | |||
Test | ODI | T20I | Total International | ||
Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka/Asia XI/ICC World XI) | Right arm Offbreak | 800 | 534 | 13 | 1347 |
Shane Warne (Australia/ICC World XI) | Legbreak Googly | 708 | 293 | - | 1001 |
Anil Kumble (India/Asia XI) | Legbreak Googly | 619 | 337 | - | 956 |
James Anderson (England) | Right arm Fast medium | 664 | 269 | 18 | 951 |
