Guernsey Press

James Anderson replaces Sir Alastair Cook as England’s most-capped Test player

The 38-year-old bowler was making his 162nd Test appearance in the second Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston.

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James Anderson became England’s new record cap-holder as he lined up for the second Test against New Zealand, overtaking Sir Alastair Cook with his 162nd appearance.

The 38-year-old seamer was celebrated in the pre-match huddle at Edgbaston, with long-time partner Stuart Broad delivering a speech to mark his 18 years at the highest level.

Already the most prolific wicket-taker in English Test history with 616, Anderson is now the nation’s most enduring player too.

Anderson was afforded a long and generous round of applause by the 17,000 fans in attendance – the largest home crowd since Covid-19 due to the game’s status as a government pilot event – with his achievement being heralded over the public address system.

Perhaps more notably, there was also clear and audible support for the ‘moment of unity’, which saw both teams stand in lines as an anti-discrimination message was read out as the England XI again wore t-shirts standing against seven forms of prejudice.

The gesture started at Lord’s in the series opener, but the suspension of Ollie Robinson following the emergence of historic racist and sexist Twitter posts, and the subsequent pledge to investigate other potentially offensive posts by players, cast it in a fresh light.

England players line up wearing t-shirts campaigning against discrimination ahead of the second Test against New Zealand
England players wore t-shirts campaigning against discrimination ahead of the second Test against New Zealand (Mike Egerton/PA)

England showed one change to their XI from the drawn Test at Lord’s, Olly Stone recalled on his home ground in Robinson’s stead in all-pace attack.

New Zealand, meanwhile, made six alterations with an eye to next week’s World Test Championship final.

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