Spin monopoly on exclusive "CLUB 600" ends

The England pacer James Anderson breaks the spinners monopoly in the exclusive “600 Club.” He achieved this feat when he bowled out  Azhar Ali in the third and final Test against Pakistan, at the Ageas Bowl  on Tuesday. Although the match ended in draw. England, by virtue of winning the first Test, clinched the series 1-0. This is  their second straight series victory following a 2-1 win versus the West Indies.

Anderson became the first fast bowler to take 600 wickets in Test cricket  history. On the list of all-time leading wicket-takers in Tests,  only Muttiah Muralitharan of Srilanka (800), Shane Warne of Australia (708) and our Indian Jumbo Anil Kumble (619) are above him. All these three names are spin bowlers.  Anderson is the one and only fast bowler in this exclusive 600 club. Till then only spinners were dominating this elusive club. He achieved this milestone in his 156th Test .... the second quickest to get to 600 wickets, taking six balls more than Muralitharan.

If we talk about  the all-time list of leading Test wicket-takers in pace bowling, James Anderson is leading the list with 600 wickets. Other three fast bowlers are Glenn McGrath of Australia (563), Curtly Ambrose of West Indies(519), and  Anderson's country fellow Stuart Broad (501).

After taking 600th wicket, Anderson took the ball in his right hand and  with a cheeky smile....  saluted all sides of the Rose Bowl stadium, which was without spectators because of coronavirus restrictions. England coach Chris Silverwood applauded on the boundary edge. Not playing white-ball cricket since 2015 has allowed James Anderson to focus his energy and fitness towards the test format. The extended break to the cricket season because of the pandemic gave him more time to rest his aging body after an injury-plagued period that restricted him to bowling from the opening Ashes test in August last year until this summer.

Congratulatory words are pouring in on Anderson's splendid achievement. Former India  leg-spinner Anil Kumble tweeted...“Massive effort from a great fast bowler. Welcome to the club.”The rivalry remains on the field but off the field great players have mutual admiration for each other. This was on display  in a tweet when India captain Virat Kohli congratulated England pacer James Anderson for his "outstanding achievement."  Kohli said that Anderson was definitely one of the best bowlers he has faced.

India's World Cup winning  star Yuvraj Singh tweets: "Never thought I’d see in my lifetime a fast bowler take 600 test wickets! It’s not just the quantity but the quality with which he has bowled - be it slow or fast wickets, bounce or no bounce, seam or no seam, for him conditions never mattered! ".

One of the West Indies greatest player Sir Viv Richards tweeted: Congratulations @jimmy9. What a splendid record to have. More power to you.

Former West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh in his congratulatory tweet said that "hard work does pay off... well done and keep on going champ 600 and counting."

If one looks at the fitness strategy of 38 years old James Anderson,  the gem of England team is still marching ahead. And hope if he continues this way... will very soon create another record for the  fast bowlers in Test cricket.

          **********************