James Anderson to step in as England’s bowling mentor for West Indies Test series after retirement

Nottingham (UK), July 17: After retiring from international cricket following the first Test match at Lord’s against the West Indies, former right-handed bowler James Anderson has joined the England team as bowling mentor for the remaining two matches of the Test series.

The second Test match between England and West Indies starts at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Thursday.

From the second match of the series, Anderson will be seen in a new role, leading England’s bowling line-up for the remaining two matches of the series.

The fast bowler retired from Test cricket on Friday as the third highest wicket-taker to grace the match.

The 41-year-old took four wickets in the Test match to end his career with 704 scalps in the format, third after Muttiah Muralidaran and the late Shane Warne.

The hosts defeated the Caribbeans by an innings and 114 runs in the Test match. Several legends of the game, both past and present, took to social media to acknowledge Anderson’s contribution to cricket over two decades.

In a review of the first Test match between England and West Indies, I saw Anderson take the first wicket of the day at Lord’s, sending back Joshua Da Silva to end West Indies’ struggles.

But while Anderson was showing his worth for the last time, there was Gus Atkinson, making his Test debut and adding his name to the Lord’s honours board with a haul of ten wickets. It was a fitting passing of the baton.

Earlier, England had taken a big first-innings lead, with five batters breaking the half-century mark and taking 371 wickets in total. Gus Atkinson’s seven wickets had helped the West Indians take 121 wickets on the first day of the Test match.

With a 250-run lead in the bag, England’s seamers went on to reduce the West Indies to six wickets behind at stumps on day two. While Atkinson shone again, Anderson set the tone with a peach of a return to Kraigg Brathwaite’s castle as the Three Lions defeated the West Indies by an innings and 114 runs on Friday.

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