Anderson Equals McGrath's Haul Of 29 5-fers In Test Cricket, Nears 600-Wicket Herculean Milestone

The highest wicket taker for England in Tests is second behind New Zealand's all-round great Richard Hadlee's haul of 36 5-fers in Test, the most by a seamer in the longer format of the game. Overall, Anderson stands joint sixth behind Muttiah Muralitharan (67), Shane Warne (37), Hadlee, Anil Kumble (35), Rangana Herath (34).

James Anderson

England's seam bowling spearhead James Anderson attained yet another personal milestone in his glittering Test career when he picked up a 5 wicket haul against Pakistan in the ongoing third Test between the two nations at the Ageas Oval in Southampton. Anderson wrecked the Pakistani batting lineup to pick up 5 for 56 and help the hosts bundle out the visitors for 273 in their opening essay with the bat and help his side take a mammoth 310-run lead. Anderson's 5-fer at Southampton was his 29th five wicket haul in his career, drawing him level with Australian pace legend Glen McGrath. Anderson who was in red hot form on the second day of the Test removing the Pakistani openers and Babar Azam to leave the visitors tottering at stumps, added to his 3-wicket tally on the third day by removing Asad Shafiq who was caught at slip by skipper Joe Root for just five runs. The highest wicket taker for England in Tests is second behind New Zealand's all-round great Richard Hadlee's haul of 36 5-fers in Test, the most by a seamer in the longer format of the game. Overall, Anderson stands joint sixth behind Muttiah Muralitharan (67), Shane Warne (37), Hadlee, Anil Kumble (35), Rangana Herath (34). Anderson continued his relentless attack on the Pakistani batsman from where he had stopped on the second day of the Test. Anderson did not have lady luck on his side as the England's slip cordon spilled a couple of catches off the veteran pacer's bowling with Rory Burns dropping two catches, Zak Crawley and Stuart Broad one each. However, Anderson eventually picked that final wicket of his five-wicket haul, drawing the outsider edge of Naseem's bat which Dom Sibley comfortably took at first slip. Anderson is also on the cusp of reaching a herculean feat in Test cricket which no other fast bowler has achieved in the history of the format. His 5-wicket haul in the first innings took him to 598 wickets in his Test career and just two short of the 600-wicket milestone. If he achieves the monumental landmark , he will only become the fourth bowler in Test cricket's history to have scaled ... The legendary spin greats Muttaih Muralitharan (800 wickets), Shane Warne (708 wickets) and Kumble (619 wickets) are the only three bowlers to have gone past the 600-wickets milestone in Test cricket. Earlier in the summer, Anderson already became the highest wicket taking seamer in Test cricket, having gone past Australia's Glen McGrath's tally of 563 Test wickets. The five-wicket haul helped England fold Pakistan for 273 despite captain Azhar Ali's gritty 141*, his highest score since his knock of 205 in December 2016. England, who still lead Pakistan by 310 runs, have enforced a follow-on.