He said all he wanted to do was contribute to a win. James Anderson got his wish, though the Lord's crowd were denied the fairytale five-for that seemed there for the taking at the start of day three. He finished with three in the innings, four in the match, and 704 for a Test career that has spanned more than two decades, as England completed the formalities of a crushing victory over West Indies.
As Anderson took his final bow, the centre stage was claimed by his latest successor. Gus Atkinson ripped out three more wickets to finish a brilliant first outing with match figures of 12 for 106 - the best by an Englishman on Test debut since 1890. Atkinson's sheepish grin was perhaps partly in recognition that he had denied Anderson the chance to bookend his extraordinary Test career with twin appearances on the Lord's honours board, but his ruthlessness was to be applauded as he blew through the West Indies tail.
Anderson even missed the opportunity to finish the match with a catch off his own bowling, dropping a chance dollied back to him by the No. 9, Gudakesh Motie. The moment drew gasps and groans, though Anderson could smile as he sank to his knees mid-pitch, the ball having rebounded out of his grasp as he went for it one-handed. Unlike his longtime new-ball partner, Stuart Broad, the Hollywood ending was not to be.
Anderson was phlegmatic when interviewed on Sky Sports at the close, cradling a pint of Guinness in the changing room: "I'm gutted I dropped that catch, to be honest. It's been an amazing week, I've been quite overwhelmed with the reaction, proud of what I've achieved."
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