Old dog Anderson is still learning new tricks of the trade

England’s new record wicket-taker James Anderson has promised there is more to come as he believes he is still improving as a bowler.
England's James Anderson.England's James Anderson.
England's James Anderson.

Anderson induced an edge from West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin on the final day of the first Test in Antigua for his 384th Test scalp on Friday, breaking Sir Ian Botham’s record which had stood for 23 years.

Anderson, 32, broke the record in the same match which saw him collect his landmark 100th cap for England, although there was disappointment as England could not force a victory.

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“I am convinced I can still improve as a bowler and take plenty more wickets for England,” Anderson wrote in his regular national newspaper column yesterday.

“There is no way I am going to rest on my laurels and enter cruise control just because I have the record.

“I’m going to work damn hard to try to get better.

“I can definitely improve, I can learn more tricks. For example, the leg-cutter with which I took my record 384th wicket was delivery I learned from Stuart Broad as recently as the World Cup.”

Anderson said he had no intention of setting himself targets in terms of either Tests played or wickets taken for England because: “I don’t want to put limits on anything” but said he is learning to pace himself in order to be able to play more regularly.

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“I feel fit enough and strong enough to bowl in the high-80s if I need to but I’m also sensible enough to realise you can’t do it all the time,” he said.

“I’m quite relieved the record is out of the way and I can concentrate on doing my job for the rest of the series.”

The West Indies, meanwhile, have left spinner Sulieman Benn out of their squad for the second Test in Grenada.

The tall left-armer had match figures of 2-200 in the first Test and has not been retained.

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Paceman Shannon Gabriel has been drafted in, leaving Devendra Bishoo as the only frontline spinner in the West Indies squad.

That is the only change to the hosts’ 14-man party after they held out for a draw in the series opener in Antigua.

Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim did much of the damage for the second game running as Bangladesh defeated Pakistan by seven wickets to claim an historic one-day international series victory in Dhaka.

The two batsmen both scored centuries as Bangladesh comfortably won the first match by 79 runs, and they also provided the backbone of their side’s successful run chase on Sunday after Pakistan had been limited to 239-6.

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Opener Tamim led the way with an unbeaten 116, his sixth ODI century, while wicketkeeper Mushfiqur contributed 65 as Bangladesh cruised home with almost 12 overs to spare.

The victory was only Bangladesh’s third ODI success over Pakistan since their first meeting back in 1986, and it earned them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.