Jimmy holds back tears after farewell

JAMES Anderson brought down the curtain on his history-making England career, paying tribute to Test cricket as ‘the perfect game’ and toasting his farewell with a wellearned pint of Guinness.

- RORY DOLLARD

The most prolific seamer ever to play the game waved goodbye for the last time at Lord’s, making West Indies wicketkeeper Josh Da Silva the 704th and final victim at the same ground that he started his story in 2003.

As hundreds of fans gathered to pay tribute to their departing hero in front of the famous old pavilion, the 41-year-old poured out a glass of the black stuff and downed it in a matter of seconds before raising it to the crowd in celebration.

It is impossible to see any other fast bowler coming close to Anderson’s record haul, painstakingly compiled over the course of 21 years and 188 caps, particularly given the increasing dominance of the T20 franchise world.

Few have given more to the fiveday format than the Lancastrian and day format than the Lancastrian and even fewer have earned the kind of reverential farewell he was afforded, ushered on to the field with a guard of honour by team-mates and opponents and honoured with an extended standing ovation as he exited the stage.