James Anderson, England’s former fast bowler, made his career successful by giving his 21 years to cricket and ending his career in a splendid way. Now Anderson is confirmed to get a knighthood in acknowledgement of his record-breaking career, after his name is declared in the resignation honours list of the former UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak.
Anderson, aged 42, ended his career last year, by taking national record 704 Test wickets in 188 Test games. After India’s Sachin Tendulkar, he is considered as the best ever fast bowler. He started his career at Lord’s against Zimbabwe in May 2023, when he was only 20-year-old. In July 2024, Anderson played his final Test match against West Indies at the same venue, Lord’s.
After 2015, he didn’t participate in the white-ball cricket, but he remained the highest wicket-taker of his country’s cricket team in ODIs by taking 269 wickets at an average of 29.22. And in T20Is, he took 18 wickets, in the total he took 1000 wickets for his country, on 991.
Recently Anderson is recovering from a calf injury. He is also going to participate in Lancashire across formats this summer. He could follow his long time friend, Sir Alastair Cook, who received his knighthood in 2019 and continued playing for England.
Richard Thompson, the ECB chair gave his regards on the news: “Congratulations Sir Jimmy Anderson. This is a really well-deserved honour for an England legend who has given so much to our sport.”
“Jimmy’s career has been marked by extraordinary achievements, not least in winning the Ashes four times and becoming England’s all-time leading wicket-taker. His skill, determination, and sportsmanship have inspired millions of cricketers and fans alike, in England and around the world.”
“This is fitting recognition for a true world-great who has given so much to the game on and off the field.”
Rishi Sunak, the former prime minister of England was a passionate fan of cricket, his term ended at the General Election 2024. In April 2024, he met Anderson in the nets at The Oval, also announced a £35 million investment by the government into grassroots cricket.
The resignation list consists of six knighthoods, Anderson is the distinguished entry in the list. Four persons from the list are Sunak’s former cabinet colleagues, James Cleverley, Jeremy Hunt, Grant Shapps and Mel Stride, while the fifth knighthood in the resignation honour list is the film-maker Matthew Vaughn.
The recognition was highly expected at the retirement of Anderson from cricket. Andrew Strauss, who was England’s captain at the time of Anderson’s retirement, who was also knighted in 2019, said that the his achievements should be honoured.
“Very much so!” Strauss said on the eve of Anderson’s final Test. “I think any fast bowler that plays 188 Test matches deserves a knighthood, I’ll put it that way.”
During recent years, Anderson is the second former England cricketer to be honoured by an outgoing Conservative prime minister of the county. In 2019, Geoffrey Boycott received a knighthood by Theresa May.
