England bowler James Anderson takes 600th Test match wicket

The Lancashire seamer joins Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble in one of cricket’s most exclusive clubs

Anderson becomes the fourth bowler in history to reach 600 Test wickets (PA)

England’s James Anderson has become the first fast bowler in cricket history to reach 600 Test wickets.

The Lancashire seamer joins Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble in one of cricket’s most exclusive clubs becoming the first Englishman to do so.

Anderson ended day four at the Ageas Bowl on 599 career scalps after a combination of watchful Pakistani batting, average England fielding and dismal weather left him one short.

But his wait was finally ended on the final day in Southampton when Pakistan captain Azhar Ali edged one behind to opposite number Joe Root to spark jubilant scenes.

Anderson’s achievement has been 17 years and 156 appearances in the making, a journey that started when he bowled Zimbabwe opener Mark Vermeulen on debut at Lord’s in 2003.

In 2015 he surpassed Sir Ian Botham’s England record of 383 wickets while on tour in the West Indies, moving past 400 later that year and ticking off 500 in 2017.

It took Anderson 33,717 deliveries to reach the milestone, six more than Sri Lankan spinning great Muralitharan, and he did so in his 156th Test match.