England v West Indies: James Anderson ends career in huge win at Lord’s

This has been a long goodbye for Anderson, who announced his intention to retire in May after talks with England captain Ben Stokes, coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key.

Much of the week has been a celebration of his unparalleled career, one that has made him the most successful fast bowler to ever play Test cricket.

This did not have the drama of the exits of his great friends Sir Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad. Cook made a century in his last Test against India, while Broad hit a six from the final ball he faced in Test cricket then sealed an Ashes draw with his final delivery against Australia at The Oval last year.

On the same ground where he made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in 2003, Anderson was last down the pavilion steps. He walked between the two sets of players lined up on the outfield while the big screen showed his picture and a caption of “James Anderson The Greatest”.

In a mix of England’s old and new, Atkinson, playing his first Test, and Anderson, in his 188th and last, bowled unchanged and in tandem throughout the hour of play on Friday morning.

Anderson, as he has done so often, found movement down the Lord’s slope to take Da Silva’s edge, while Atkinson bounced out Alzarri Joseph and splattered the stumps of Shamar Joseph.

With the last pair at the crease and one final wicket to take, the crowd sang Anderson’s name and cheered him to the crease, only for Motie’s chipped drive to pop out of the bowler’s left hand as he followed through.

In almost comical scenes, with Motie somehow evading fielders and the whole ground willing Anderson towards his moment, celebrations were muted when Seales hooked Atkinson to Ben Duckett.

Anderson led England from the field, soaking up the adulation, then was interviewed by his first Test captain Nasser Hussain in the England dressing room, pint of Guinness in hand.

Anderson’s 3-32 leaves him with 704 Test wickets, third on the all-time list behind only spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne. It was England who decided to move on from Anderson, and now England must prepare for life without him.

Anderson’s Test career in stats: