James Anderson awarded knighthood after record-breaking Test career

The 42-year-old retired from Test cricket in July having taken 704 wickets, the most by any seamer

James Anderson has been knighted for services to cricket (PA)

James Anderson, England’s leading Test wicket-taker, has been awarded a knighthood in Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list.

The 42-year-old bowler retired from Test cricket last July having taken 704 wickets, the most by a seamer in Test history.

Anderson still plays for his county, Lancashire, though he has missed the opening rounds of the County Championship season with a calf problem.

A master of swing and seam bowling, Anderson spent more than two decades in an England shirt, taking 269 wickets in one-day international (ODI) cricket, also a record for the nation, to go along with his Test exploits.

His 188 Test appearances is second only to India’s Sachin Tendulkar in the format. Anderson made his debut in May 2003.

He is the lone sportsperson included in Sunak’s honours list, and joins former teammates Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss in being knighted.

Stuart Broad, Anderson’s longtime new-ball partner and the second name on the list of England’s leading Test wicket-takers, was given a CBE last year.

Sunak is an avid cricket fan and netted alongside Anderson in the run-up to last summer’s general election. The former leader of the Conservative Party has also awarded knighthoods to former cabinet ministers Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt and James Cleverly, as well as filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, director of the Kingsman franchise.