Jimmy Anderson takes SEVEN wickets ahead of final England Test

• 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 warmed up for his Test farewell against West Indies with a seven-wicket haul and the second-best figures of his 24-year career on Tuesday.

Anderson, who turns 42 later this month and will move into a mentoring role with England after signing off at Lord’s next week, decimated Nottinghamshire’s batting at Southport in what could be his final county appearance.

England’s most prolific bowler looked like he had the ball on a string in his one outing before winning his 188th cap, claiming seven for 35 as ninth-placed Lancashire asked the visitors to follow-on in their quest for a third victory in four Division One matches. 

Invited to send down his first over of the summer on the second morning of July — after Lancashire had declared on 353 for nine in this rain-hit County Championship fixture — Anderson struck half a dozen times in his opening 10-over spell to leave Nottinghamshire reeling on 40 for six.

Dismissing new England team-mate Dillon Pennington when he returned to the attack, he appeared destined to take eight wickets in a first-class innings for the first time.

But Nathan Lyon ran out last man Dane Paterson and Anderson therefore had to settle for a return he had previously bettered just once: when he took seven for 19 against Kent in Manchester in 2021.

The impressive performance 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.

The Burnley-born bowler will then don a tracksuit for the remaining matches of the series in Nottingham and Birmingham as mentor to the attack, a role he will continue when Sri Lanka tour for three Tests next month.

As revealed by Mail Sport, he has an agreement in principle with Lancashire’s director of cricket Mark Chilton to finish the 2024 season by playing two more Championship fixtures in September, but is yet to make a final decision.