Former England fast bowler James Anderson set to be knighted

LONDON (Agencies): James Anderson is set to receive a knighthood in recognition of his record-breaking 21-year England career, after being named in the resignation honours list of the former UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. Anderson, 42, retired from England duty last year, after taking a national record 704 Test wickets across 188 Tests, the most ever played by a specialist fast bowler and second only to India’s Sachin Tendulkar. He played his final Test against West Indies at Lord’s in July 2024, having debuted as a 20-year-old at the same venue against Zimbabwe in May 2003. Though he has not played white-ball cricket for England since 2015, he remains the country’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs with 269 at an average of 29.22. With a further 18 wickets in T20Is, he finished just shy of 1,000 wickets for his country, on 991. Despite his achievements, Anderson has not yet called time on his professional career. Though he is currently recovering from a calf injury, he is due to feature for Lancashire across formats this summer. This means he could yet emulate his long-time England team-mate, Sir Alastair Cook, who also carried on playing for Essex after receiving his own knighthood back in 2019.

Reacting to the news, Richard Thompson, the ECB chair said: “Congratulations Sir Jimmy Anderson. This is a really well-deserved honour for an England legend who has given so much to our sport. “Jimmy’s career has been marked by extraordinary achievements, not least in winning the Ashes four times and becoming England’s all-time leading wicket-taker. His skill, determination, and sportsmanship have inspired millions of cricketers and fans alike, in England and around the world. “This is fitting recognition for a true world-great who has given so much to the game on and off the field.” Sunak, whose tenure as prime minister ended at the 2024 General Election, was renowned as a huge cricket fan. In April last year, he faced Anderson in the nets at The Oval, while announcing a £35 million government investment into grassroots cricket.

Anderson is the notable inclusion on a resignation honours list that features five other knighthoods. Four of these are to Sunak’s former cabinet colleagues, James Cleverley, Jeremy Hunt, Grant Shapps and Mel Stride, while the fifth has been handed to the film-maker Matthew Vaughn. The honour was widely anticipated at the time of Anderson’s England retirement. Speaking last year, his former captain Andrew Strauss ––– who was himself knighted in 2019 – said his achievements meant it would be hugely merited. “Very much so!” Strauss said on the eve of Anderson’s final Test. “I think any fast bowler that plays 188 Test matches deserves a knighthood, I’ll put it that way.” Anderson is the second former England cricketer to be honoured by an outgoing Conservative prime minister in recent years. In 2019, Theresa May awarded a knighthood to Geoffrey Boycott, her childhood hero, a decision that attracted controversy in light of Boycott’s conviction on domestic assault charges by a French court in 1998.