In his final opening spell in Test match cricket, England pacer James Anderson delivered a masterful performance, dismissing West Indies‘ captain Kraigg Brathwaite with a gem of a delivery on Day 2 of the Lord’s Test between the sides.

West Indies second innings struggle

Facing a daunting deficit of 250 runs as they began their second innings, West Indies needed a resilient batting effort to even contemplate holding out for a draw. Captain Brathwaite took strike with debutant Mikyle Louis at the other end. The first over, bowled by Anderson, was a maiden, with Brathwaite carefully negotiating some inconsistent bounce and the veteran bowler’s ability to move the ball both ways.

James Anderson’s tactical brilliance against Kraigg Brathwaite

Anderson’s tactical brilliance was on full display. In the seventh over, he primarily bowled outswingers, managing to get one ball to nip back in off the seam, yet Brathwaite survived. However, the ninth over saw Anderson’s skill reach its zenith. The very first ball cut back in sharply off the wicket, smashing into the middle stump, dismissing Brathwaite for just four runs. This marked the eighth time Anderson had dismissed Brathwaite in Test cricket, placing him level with India‘s Ravichandran Ashwin for the most dismissals of Brathwaite in Tests.

Here’s the video:

Jimmy Anderson, there are no words 🤯 pic.twitter.com/bBRCS1uykD

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 11, 2024

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England’s dominant position and Anderson’s emotional reception

Earlier, West Indies were bowled out for a paltry 121 runs in their first innings, with debutant Gus Atkinson taking a remarkable seven-wicket haul. In response, England amassed 371 runs, with five batters scoring fifties. Zak Crawley led the scoring with 76 runs at the top of the order.

When Anderson came out to bat at number 11, he received a much-deserved standing ovation from the members in the iconic Lord’s dressing room and the entire stadium. The atmosphere was electric, celebrating the legendary cricketer’s illustrious career. Unfortunately, Jamie Smith was dismissed for 70 soon after Anderson’s arrival, denying him the opportunity to face even a single ball.

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