- Jimmy Anderson took seven stunning wickets for Lancashire on Tuesday
- The 41-year-old is set to bow out of Test cricket against the West Indies at Lord’s
- Anderson rattled through Nottinghamshire’s batting order in rapid fashion
Jimmy Anderson prepared for the final Test appearance of his career in vintage style on Tuesday by scything through Nottinghamshire’s batting at Southport.
Anderson, who turns 42 later this month and will move into a mentoring role with England after featuring against West Indies at Lord’s next week, marked what could be a farewell to Lancashire with an outstanding performance with the new ball.
England’s most prolific bowler looked like he had the ball on a string in what is his single outing ahead of his 188th Test, zipping it past the bamboozled batsman on the visiting team between the occasions that he took the edge.
Invited to send down the first over, after Lancashire declared on 353 for nine in a rain-hit County Championship, Anderson took six wickets in an opening spell of 10 overs, leaving Nottinghamshire reeling on 42 for six. He added another wicket after lunch.
It suggests Anderson is in prime form as he looks to add to his 700 Test scalps against the Windies – he requires eight to match the career haul of Australian great Shane Warne.
Jimmy Anderson prepared for the final Test appearance of his career by taking seven wickets against Nottingham
England’s most prolific bowler (right) looked like he had the ball on a string in what is his only outing ahead of his 188th Test
The Burnley-born player will then don a tracksuit for the remaining matches of the series in Nottingham and Birmingham as a mentor to the attack, a role he will continue when Sri Lanka tour next month.
However, as Mail Sport revealed, only once the first Test is over will he decide whether to finish the season by playing for Lancashire in September.
It is understood that he has an agreement in principle with director of cricket Mark Chilton to feature in two further Championship fixtures before bringing down the curtain on a 24-year career.
Anderson looked in prime form as he looks to add to his 700 Test scalps against the Windies
Anderson, who turns 42 later this month, will move into a mentoring role with England after featuring against West Indies at Lord’s next week
In contrast to previous seasons of building up a run of games ahead of the international section of the summer beginning, Anderson opted for just this one to fine-tune for what will be an emotional goodbye next Wednesday.
Rain then limited opportunity as the second day of four on the west coast was completely washed out. But Anderson wasted little time on the third morning, starting proceedings by having former teammate Haseeb Hameed play on.
New Zealander Will Young nicked behind and Joe Clarke was then snaffled at second slip by Lancashire captain Keaton Jennings.
Jack Haynes fended a shorter delivery to short leg before Anderson completed five wickets in as many overs and a 55th five-wicket haul of his career when Lyndon James deflected to gully and a second catch for Will Williams in that position accounted for Liam Patterson-White in first spell figures of 10-2-19-6.
