When asked to forecast the Open Championship, LPGA icon Annika Sorenstam responded, “I would fancy to see Jordan win again, maybe,” during a joint press conference with Reaves before of the American Century Championship.
It wasn’t like Anderson wanted to drag it out. He was one among those who made a hasty exit on Thursday night, scoring two delicious runs as the tourists collapsed to 79 for six. West Indies, who were rolled for 121 in their opening innings, will start the second innings 171 runs behind after replying with 371 runs, helped by Jamie Smith’s 70 on debut. They will need to win 72 hours of nonstop rain, snooker games, or safe-crackers to avoid falling behind 1-0 in this three-match series.
As Anderson saddles up for dusk, the only real unanswered questions are the ultimate score and his final wicket total. After a smooth initial burst, the 41-year-old slashed the Dukes back into the top of Kraigg Brathwaite’s middle stump, and then he went back to work over Alick Athanaze for an edge behind. The score at the end of the day was 703. Only four more could be achieved, making Shane Warne’s 708-run total enticingly unattainable. Not that it is significant. Gus Atkinson’s denial of Anderson’s opportunity to go up to the second spot in the all-time lists, after he had taken seven wickets on the first day, was met with equal glee by Anderson.
Another offender was Ben Stokes, who moved passed 200 Test wickets and into an elite group by dismissing Kirk McKenzie and Mikyle Louis in a 10-over flurry of thudding swing. Only Jacques Kallis and Garfield Sobers have amassed this total with more than 6,000 Test runs in the past, although the England captain, who is not familiar with the history of the game, will be more pleased with his comeback to being an all-rounder following knee surgery last year.
“Another culprit was Ben Stokes, who knocked over Kirk McKenzie and Mikyle Louis in a 10-over burst of thudding swing to move past 200 Test wickets and thus join an elite club. Only Garfield Sobers and Jacques Kallis have combined this figure with 6,000-plus Test runs previously, even if the England captain – no student of the game’s history – will take more pleasure in his return to all-rounder status after last year’s knee surgery.
As well as savouring the last drops of Anderson, those present may in time also boast about being there for the very start of Smith’s England career. Folks at Surrey expect big things from the 23-year-old right-hander and as he peeled off a half-century in his first outing – turning an overnight lead of 68 into a neat 250 and even clearing the Tavern Stand with a mighty six off Jayden Seales
There’s a lot to enjoy about this play; it combines technical accuracy in attack and grace in defense, leaving you to question if he could play higher up the order without the gloves. That being said, England has temporarily put an end to the long-running wicketkeeper controversy after becoming weary of Jonny Bairstow’s all-around performance during a demanding winter and concluding that Ben Foakes lacks the hitting power.
