James Anderson. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
James Anderson was 31, already a decade in his career, when Moeen Ali made his Test debut in 2014. The all-rounder since then retired from the format, while Anderson is still playing for England and is picking wickets for fun in the County Championship. Playing red-ball cricket for 22 years is not an easy task for any cricketer, and particularly for a seam bowler, but the pacer defied all the odds and emerged as one of the greatest to grace the game.
Moeen Ali understands the value the senior cricketer brought to the table as far as red-ball cricket is concerned. Ahead of his farewell Test match against West Indies, Ali lauded Anderson and called him the greatest seam bowler of all time. The all-rounder also called himself lucky to be able to share the same dressing room as Anderson and being able to share his inputs.
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“There were times during my Test career, sitting in the dressing room reflecting on things quietly, when I almost could not believe how lucky I was to be in the same England team as Jimmy Anderson. He really is a once in a generation cricketer and, in my mind, the greatest seam bowler of all time,” Ali wrote in his column for Yahoo Sports.
Massive shame his career has to end: Ali
The all-round cricketer also talked about Anderson’s current form and added that it’s a shame that his international career is coming to an end in such a fashion. The 37-year-old mentioned his recent heroics against Nottinghamshire and added that if Anderson had played the entire summer, the pacer could have picked more wickets.
“It is a massive shame it has to end because, even now, coming up to 42, he can still bowl as well as he ever has. Just look at that seven-wicket haul for Lancashire last week. If he played for the whole summer, he would get a load more wickets,” Ali added.
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Ali also added that he is happy that the retirement-bound pacer considered taking up the mentor role of the Test team and kept the door open for his return if needed.