In a bittersweet moment at Lord’s, the West Indies‘ plan to give England‘s legendary fast bowler James Anderson a guard of honour during his final Test appearance fell through due to an exuberant run-out celebration. Anderson, who is set to retire after this match, was expected to receive the traditional Guard of Honour from the West Indies players as he walked out to bat on the second day.
Reason for the failed gesture
This gesture is customary when a leading cricketer is playing their last Test. However, the West Indies’ celebrations after a brilliant runout by Mikyle Louis disrupted their plans. Louis’ direct hit to dismiss Shoaib Bashir sparked wild celebrations among the West Indies team, leaving them scattered and unable to form the Guard of Honour in time for Anderson’s arrival at the crease.
“We spoke about it before he came out to bat, that we were going to give him a guard of honour; obviously the runout took us all the way down to Swiss Cottage, so it was pretty hard to do the Guard of Honour for the great man,” said West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales in the post-match press conference.
Jason Holder holds hands with the English legend
In the end, only former West Indies captain Jason Holder was able to greet Anderson with a handshake as he walked out to bat. The 41-year-old England legend, who has taken a record 703 Test wickets for a fast bowler, didn’t even face a delivery before the West Indies were bowled out.
“Luckily, Jason caught up with him,” Seales added, acknowledging the missed opportunity to properly honour Anderson’s illustrious career. The West Indies’ collapse, which saw them lose six wickets for just 79 runs, overshadowed the chance to pay tribute to one of the all-time greats of the game. Debutant Jamie Smith, who scored a defiant 70, expressed his disappointment at not being able to allow Anderson a final moment in the spotlight.
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Despite the anticlimactic end to the day, Anderson’s teammates and opponents alike acknowledged the immense impact he has had on the sport. England’s Ben Stokes and debutant Gus Atkinson both took two wickets, while the West Indies struggled to make an impression with the bat.
“Everyone will miss him when he goes; if we’re in a position where he has to bat in the second innings I’d be a bit worried, so hopefully he can get wickets with the ball instead.” Smith said about Anderson in the post-match press conference.
The West Indies’ missed opportunity to honour Anderson’s farewell was a bittersweet moment, overshadowed by the team’s own on-field celebrations. However, the respect and admiration for the England great’s legacy remain undiminished as the cricket world prepares to bid farewell to one of the sport’s true icons.
