NNBABA | Page 5 TENNIS | Page 7 LeBron’s Ailing Djokovic Lakers advances, steamroll Serena claws Blazers out victory Wednesday, August 26, 2020 FOOTBALL Muharram 7, 1442 AH Barcelona in new GULF TIMES turmoil as Messi says he wants out SPORT Page 8 660000 EEngland’sngland’s AAndersonnderson sscalescales newnew ppeakeak amongamong pacepace bowlersbowlers asas thirdthird TTestest aagainstgainst PPakistanakistan endsends inin a drawdraw ible, I’m a big fan of Jimmy’s. “It doesn’t feel two minutes ago he AFP Just the fact he’s still playing now, broke Glenn McGrath’s record at Southampton in his 156th Test match, which in The Oval against India with such itself is just incredible. scenes of taking the final wicket ngland paceman James An- “The rigours, the stresses that fast to win the Test match. derson cemented his place in bowlers put on their body day in “He has got better with age and cricket history by taking his day out, to turn around and front up is someone who has inspired 600th Test wicket as the rain- and just work your backside off is me throughout my career, E marred third and final Test just absolutely incredible.” watching him. against Pakistan at Southampton After Anderson struck, Babar Azam The last five years in partic- ended in a draw yesterday. completed a 76-ball fifty featuring ular, since leaving South Fresh downpours prevented play on six fours. Africa in 2016, he’s just the last day until 1515 GMT, mean- But when it seemed the match gone from strength ing England, who were 1-0 up in the was petering out, part-time to strength and he’s a series, did not have enough time to spinner Root had Asad role model to follow force a victory. Shafiq caught by substitute for every English But despite the tame end to the se- fielder James Bracey at cricketer and young ries, all eyes were on Anderson and short leg to leave Paki- cricketer coming the 38-year-old did not disappoint, stan 172-4. through.” striking with his 14th ball of the day The next over saw England to reach the 600-wicket milestone. take the new ball to suggest Defying a docile pitch, he produced they might press for vic- a rising delivery that moved away tory but after just one Stuart from Pakistan captain Azhar Ali, a Broad delivery in the statutory first-innings century-maker, with last hour, a draw was agreed. England skipper Joe Root holding a Babar was 63 not out, with Paki- head-high catch at first slip. stan finishing on 187-4. There was applause and cheers from Anderson’s innings return of 2-45 Anderson’s team-mates, with the nick from 19 overs gave him match fig- off the shoulder of Azhar’s bat clearly ures of 7-101. audible at an empty Ageas Bowl. Zak Crawley, however, was named Azhar’s exit for 31 left Pakistan, man of the match for his stunning following on, 109-3 — still 201 runs 267 — the 22-year-old Kent batsman’s adrift of England’s first innings 583-8 maiden Test century. declared. Together After Anderson struck, the remain- with Jos ing energy in the contest appeared Buttler to drain away and a draw was agreed (152) he as the match entered the last hour. shared an The result meant England secured England record their first series win over Pakistan in fifth-wicket stand a decade. of 359. Anderson is only the fourth bowler Anderson had been left — and first paceman — to reach the just one wicket shy of mark of 600 Test wickets. 600 as a combination The only men ahead of him in the all- of poor catching, bad time Test list are three retired spin- weather and determined ners — Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitha- Pakistan batting thwarted ran (800), Australia’s Shane Warne him on Monday. (708) and India’s Anil Kumble (619). He might even have reached Kumble tweeted: “Congratulations the landmark late on Sunday @jimmy9 on your 600 wickets! Mas- but he was frustrated by a clutch sive effort from a great fast bowler. of dropped chances. Welcome to the club.” One of those at fault was long-time Former Australia paceman Glenn pace partner Broad, who paid tribute McGrath, whose tally of 563 wickets to his teammate on Tuesday. was passed by Anderson in 2018, “You can’t really put it into words, it’s told the BBC: “Absolutely incred- just phenomenal,” he said. Leading wicket-takers in Test cricket England’s James Anderson became the first paceman to from Azhar, on 31, to leave Pakistan 109-3 in their second take 600 Test wickets when he had Pakistan captain Azhar innings. Ali caught by opposing skipper Joe Root in the third Test at Southampton yesterday. THE TOP 7 The only bowlers with more Test wickets than the 38-year-old Muttiah Muralitharan (SRI/ICC) — 800 wickets in 133 matches Lancashire swing bowler are a trio of retired spinners — Sri Shane Warne (AUS) — 708 wickets in 145 matches Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets), Australia’s Shane Anil Kumble (IND) — 619 wickets in 132 matches Warne (708) and India’s Anil Kumble (619). James Anderson (ENG) — 600 wickets in 156 matches Anderson, appearing in his 156th Test — a testament to his Glenn McGrath (AUS) — 563 wickets in 124 matches stamina — took 5-56 in Pakistan’s first innings 273 and then, Courtney Walsh (WIS) — 519 wickets in 132 matches with the tourists’ following on, had Abid Ali lbw on Monday’s Stuart Broad (ENG) — 514 wickets in 143 matches rain-marred fourth day to move to 599 Test wickets. Root held a good head-high catch at first slip as Anderson, Note: Anderson and Broad’s figures correct at time of Ander- defying a docile pitch, produced a rising ball that cut away son’s 600th Test wicket England’s James Anderson celebrates the wicket of Pakistan’s Azhar Ali, his 600th Test victim, in the third Test match in Southampton yesterday. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, August 26, 2020 CRICKET FOCUS SPOTLIGHT Kumble, Warne welcome Jimmy James Anderson: to ‘600 club’ AFP Southampton owling greats Anil the King of Swing Kumble and Shane Warne welcomed James Anderson to ‘I absolutely love it — there is no better feeling than putting Bthe elite group of players who have taken 600 Test wickets as tributes to the England star the boots on, going out there and doing what I love doing’ poured in from around the cricketing world yesterday Anderson become the fi rst fast bowler to reach the land- mark when he had Pakistan’s Azhar Ali caught by Joe Root He’s a role model to follow on the fi nal day of the third for every English cricketer Test at Southampton. and young cricketer coming He joins a trio of retired through.” spinners — Sri Lanka’s Mut- Former Australia star Glenn tiah Muralitharan (800), Aus- McGrath has the second-most tralia’s Warne (708) and In- Test wickets by a fast bowler, dia’s Kumble (619). with 563. “Congratulations @jimmy9 Hailing Anderson’s land- on your 600 wickets! Massive mark, McGrath told the BBC: eff ort from a great fast bowler. “Absolutely incredible, I’m Welcome to the club,” Kum- a big fan of Jimmy’s. Just the ble tweeted. fact he’s still playing now, in Former Australia leg-spin- his 156th Test match, which in ner Warne said it was a “proud itself is just incredible. moment” for the England “The rigours, the stresses bowler. that fast bowlers put on their “It’s an outstanding body day in day out, to turn achievement from Jimmy An- around and front up and just derson, and his longevity, and work your backside off is just he should be extremely proud absolutely incredible. of what he has just done — 156 “Looking through my ca- Test matches is a lot of games,” reer, the two that really stand he said on Sky Sports. out skill-wise is Jimmy and Anderson’s achievement Wasim Akram. What they can has been 17 years and 156 ap- do with the ball, to swing it pearances in the making, a both ways, it’s a real art form.” journey that started when he Andrew Strauss, a former dismissed Zimbabwe’s Mark England captain and ex-team- Vermeulen in 2003. mate of Anderson’s, told Sky England paceman Stuart Sports: “You look at that ca- Broad, who has long been An- reer, you look at that achieve- derson’s strike partner, hailed ment and it is just extraordi- his team-mate’s longevity. nary. “You can’t really put it into “James Anderson, himself, words, it’s just phenomenal,” wouldn’t believe it if you had Broad told the BBC. said that a few years ago you “He has got better with age would get to 600 Test wick- and is someone who has in- ets, you would play 156 Test spired me throughout my ca- matches and get 29 fi ve-wick- reer, watching him. et hauls. England’s James Anderson (C) shows the ball as he is applauded by teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan’s Azhar Ali, his 600th Test match wicket, on the fifth day of the “The last fi ve years in par- “There is still plenty of life third Test match at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton yesterday. ticular, since leaving South in the old dog yet. It doesn’t Africa in 2016, he’s just gone look like he is going anywhere.