London [UK], July 8 (ANI): Ahead of pace veteran James Anderson’s final international appearance on July 10 against the West Indies in the first Test, former English pacer Stuart Broad, who partnered with the 42-year-old to form a destructive pace duo, hailed his friend, calling him “addict of the art of bowling”.
Anderson is set to play his final Test as England take on the West Indies in the series opener at the Lord’s from July 10. With 700 wickets in 187 Test matches, Anderson currently stands third among the highest wicket-takers in the longest format and is the first among all fast bowlers.
The seasoned pacer has a chance to claim the second spot on the list by surpassing the late Shane Warne, who scalped 708 wickets in his esteemed career.
Broad has shared the field with Anderson in 138 of those 187 Tests.
“He loves the rhythm of running into the bowl, the control of the technique of his action, the tactical side of whether he is bowling away swing, inswing, wobble seam,” Broad wrote in his column for The Times, according to the ICC.
“When you talk about professionals who have had longevity, you often talk about their dedication to training, their discipline in the gym, and their diet.”
“And of course, you do not play to 42 unless you have that, but the thing that makes him different is his genuine love of the art of what he does. Addict is generally used as a negative word, but I’d say he is an addict of the art of bowling,” he concluded.
Anderson has received widespread acclaim for his mastery of seam and swing bowling in home conditions, but Broad highlighted his former teammate’s prowess in reverse swing, particularly in subcontinental settings.
“He does not get enough credit for his reverse swing, which has been crucial to his great record in the Indian subcontinent. His line and length are so immaculate and that makes him lethal,” said Broad.
“Dale Steyn was phenomenal and quicker than Jimmy, but Jimmy is certainly the best reverse-swing bowler I have played with and probably the best I have witnessed in the flesh outside of Steyn,” he added.
Broad praised Anderson’s enduring success in cricket, attributing it to his adaptability, continuous learning and passion for bowling, marking him as England’s greatest-ever bowler.
“His ability to adapt and learn is why he has been so successful for so long,” Broad said.
“In professional sports, you have to be continually improving because there is always a younger bowler trying to get your shirt.”
“It is that genuine love for the art of bowling that has made him want to improve and learn new deliveries. It is why he will go out at Lord’s this week as England’s greatest-ever bowler,” he added.
England will host the West Indies for a three-match Test series, which is part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle.
Both teams will be eager to accumulate valuable points, with England currently positioned 9th and the West Indies in 6th place in the standings. (ANI)
