England great James Anderson took seven wickets for Lancashire in a County Championship match against Nottinghamshire on Tuesday – just eight days before his final test appearance.
Anderson had figures of 6-19 as he ripped through the Nottinghamshire top order at Southport as the visitors slumped to 74-6 in their first innings on the third day of four in a rain-marred clash.
That @jimmy9 spell. 🔥📸
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) July 2, 2024
1️⃣0️⃣ OVERS
2️⃣ MAIDENS
6️⃣ WICKETS
1️⃣9️⃣ RUNS
🌹 #RedRoseTogether pic.twitter.com/7oUxYdL748
He then added another after the interval, finishing with a superb return of 7-35 in 16 overs as Nottinghamshire were made to follow-on after being dismissed for 126 in reply to Lancashire's first innings 353-9 declared.
James Anderson's first spell since March: 10-2-19-6
— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) July 2, 2024
Watch every ball of his magnificent return pic.twitter.com/YsDYkSWJiu
This is the first match the 41-year-old has played all season as he prepares for the first test of a three-match series against the West Indies at Lord's starting on 10 July.
Follow-on enforced. ✅@jimmy9 finishes the innings with figures of 7/35! 👏
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) July 2, 2024
Tom Bailey picked up two with Nathan Lyon completing the set with a run out.
🌹 #RedRoseTogether pic.twitter.com/RwLT6VeQ5Z
The match will be the 188th test of a career that started with Anderson's debut in 2003.
Anderson is the first seamer and only third bowler to have taken 700 test wickets after spinners Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.
But he has decided to end his test career following next week's match at Lord's, with England having made it clear they wanted to move on ahead of the 2025/26 Ashes.