James Anderson takes his 600th Test wicket for England

James Anderson has made history by becoming just the fourth bowler to reach 600 Test wickets.

England’s all-time leading wicket-taker drew a thick edge from Pakistan captain Azhar Ali and Joe Root made the catch.

The 38-year-old reached the incredible milestone at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, after rain delays had frustrated him and England earlier in the day.

England quick James Anderson has become just the fourth bowler to reach 600 Test wickets

Anderson’s 600th scalp came at the expense of XXX to leave the tourists XXX in a match they must win to level the series 1-1.

It could have happened a lot sooner as England dropped four catches whilst Anderson was bowling – three at the end of day three and one on the morning of the fourth day. 

But it doesn’t matter now as he snared Abid Ali lbw to join an exclusive club of legendary bowlers to break the 600-wicket barrier and becomes the first seamer to do so.

Previous achievers of the feat Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets for Sri Lanka), Shane Warne (708 wickets for Australia) and Anil Kumble (619 wickets for India) were all spinners.

Anderson’s longstanding England team-mate Stuart Broad is the next active bowler who has a chance of joining them. Broad is seventh in the all-time standings with 507 wickets (retired Australia icon Glenn McGrath and West Indies great Courtney Walsh sit fifth and sixth respectively).

Going into day three of the third Pakistan Test, Anderson sat on 596 wickets after grabbing three wickets on Saturday.

However, the Lancashire bowler moved to 597 career scalps with a fourth wicket of the innings on a rain-affected third morning of England’s series decider against Pakistan.

He left Pakistan on 41 for four after getting Asad Shafiq with his sixth ball of the day.

Anderson celebrates after dismissing Asad Shafiq with his sixth ball of the day on Sunday

He got Shafiq out when he caught behind by England captain Joe Root to leave Pakistan 41-4

Having already seen off Shan Masood, Abid Ali and star man Babar Azam on Saturday evening, Anderson was quick to dial into the same testing line and length, with Shafiq pushing at one in the channel outside off stump to hand Joe Root a regulation slip catch.

That was the last ball before the teams were forced off for 25 minutes by rain, with another mini-session possible prior to a lengthier delay which forced an early lunch at 12.30pm.

The landmark is another magnificent moment in Anderson’s 17-year Test career with England.

He made his Test debut in May 2003 against Zimbabwe at Lord’s, aged 20, and took five wickets in an innings on debut – becoming the 42nd Englishman to do so. His maiden international wicket was at the expense of opener Mark Vermuelen who was clean bowled for one run.

And since then, Anderson has not looked back as he continues to add to his legacy. 

Anderson’s first Test wicket came in May 2003 when he bowled Zimbabwe’s Mark Vermuelen

The then-20-year-old celebrates with his England team-mates after claiming his first Test scalp

Against Pakistan in July 2010, the England seamer claimed a five-wicket haul in both innings

His iconic cele to Australia’s Mitchell Johnson in December 2010 after removing Ryan Harris

In 2017 he took a career-best 7-42, which included his 500th Test wicket, against the Windies