James Anderson has waved goodbye to Test cricket as England record victory over West Indies by an innings and 114 runs at Lord's.
With West Indies resuming on 79-6, only bad weather would prevent Friday from being the 41-year-old's final day as a Test player, and his 188th match was wrapped up within 65 minutes of day three.
The veteran paceman squandered a fitting moment to sign off from the five-day arena, dropping a caught-and-bowled attempt which would have sealed the win.
Nevertheless, there was a sense of a changing of the guard as Gus Atkinson - on debut - recorded a five-wicket haul and ended the game with remarkable figures of 12-106.
England will now move onto the remaining two matches in the series, but this occasion was all about Anderson, who bows out with 704 wickets in the long format of the game.
For the final time James Anderson walks out at Lord's 🥺
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 12, 2024
A guard of honour from both sets of players 👏 pic.twitter.com/mgqNu8Twez
Guard of honour commences final day
Before play got underway, both sides greeted Anderson with a deserved guard of honour, which was accompanied by a rapturous ovation, before he set about trying to end his Test career in style.
In his second over of the day, the Lancashire legend struck, Joshua Da Silva edging through to Jamie Smith for nine for what would prove to be Anderson's final contribution.
Atkinson had his own ambitions to make the Lord's honours board for the second time in the match, needing to take the final three wickets to achieve that target.
Alzarri Joseph (8) and Shamar Joseph (3) would follow in quick succession, leaving the younger and old guard to effectively go head to head for the final wicket.
Anderson, literally, had the opportunity to win that duel in his hand, only to agonisingly fumble a one-handed caught-and-bowled attempt much to the despair of the crowd.
DROPPED by James Anderson 😩🏴
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 12, 2024
Almost the perfect ending... pic.twitter.com/bBmjDprLhR
That would prove to be the England great's final chance, and although Gudakesh Motie stood tall with an unbeaten 31, Jayden Seales holed out to Ben Duckett to gift Atkinson his fifth wicket of the innings and 12th of the match.
After an emotional exit from the pitch, Anderson will now take the plaudits that will inevitably come his way, but the focus of Ben Stokes will turn to trying to achieve England's first Test series victory - aside from a one-off Test versus Ireland - since overcoming Pakistan at the back end of 2022.
