Old Trafford’s pavilion end to be renamed 'James Anderson End'
Anderson is 20 wickets away from 500 Test wicketsWhat’s the story?
Old Trafford’s Pavilion End has been renamed 'James Anderson End' to honour England’s all-time highest wicket taker in Tests. The bowler will be bowling from the James Anderson End in the fourth Test vs South Africa that starts today.
"I'm blown away really by the gesture from the club," Anderson was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. "It's usually something that happens when people have stopped playing but it's a huge honour for me especially because of the love I've got for this club. I've been here for 15 years and longer than that if you count the years I've been supporting. Hopefully, my family will be here tomorrow to see it.”
In case you didn’t know...
The 35-year-old has 480 wickets from 125 Tests since his debut in 2002. In the ongoing series against South Africa, he has taken 13 wickets at an average of 17.53. The change of name at Old Trafford has come as a mark of respect for the services of the bowler in the past two decades.
The heart of the matter
With the hosts having already retained the D'Oliveira Trophy, the least South Africa can hope for is to win the fourth and final Test at Old Trafford to end the series on level terms. For England, this may be their first home series win over the Proteas since 1998.
The hosts have a good record at the venue for the fourth Test. In their past 12 Tests at Old Trafford, England have won eight and lost a solitary Test. However, England also have a poor record of faltering in final Tests. They have lost eight final Tests of the last nine series they have played.
The series is also the first assignment for new captain Joe Root, who will be hoping that Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes continue their form from the previous Tests into the final one.
Also read: Ben Stokes: The sharpest weapon in England's armoury
What’s next?
England won the first Test by 211 runs followed by a 340-runs defeat in the second Test. But they came back firing to record a 239-runs win in the third one. The fourth and final Test will be played at Old Trafford from today (August 4)
Author’s take
It is a great gesture on the part of Lancashire to honour Anderson who has been a cornerstone of England cricket since 2002. His numbers at Old Trafford, the home of Lancashire are specifically great – he enjoys a better average at the venue than his career average, and thus it is only befitting for the county side to honour the Lancashire legend.
Also read: The rise and rise of Moeen Ali