James Anderson equals Ian Botham's record: Burnley’s finest overcame lean period to equal Botham mark

Sir Ian Botham took his 383rd Test wicket in 1992 in his 100th Test – the same as Anderson

James Anderson celebrates after equalling Ian Botham's wicket record for England (Getty Images)

Hard graft and guile have sustained James Anderson in his odyssey to equal Ian Botham as England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker.

He reached 383 in his 100th Test yesterday in Antigua when West Indies’ Marlon Samuels was caught at gully by James Tredwell off the Burnley man’s bowling, levelling the mark set by England’s greatest all-rounder 23 years ago – also in his 100th Test.

The Lancastrian got a flying start 12 years ago as a precocious fast bowler who made short work of fragile Zimbabwe batting in his first two Tests at the age of just 20, following up that same summer with notice of his world-class talent against South Africa – including at Trent Bridge, the venue where he would go on to excel himself at almost every visit.

But there were fallow years to follow – during which he was prescribed an action overhaul to mitigate against back injuries, only for those physical issues to interrupt his progress anyway – as serious doubts began to hang over his chances of ever fulfilling that undoubted early potential.

Anderson did, of course – and how, in a pomp which kicked in mid-career, in 2007, and is still in full flow at the age of 32.

On Anderson’s side are a mastery of swing, wherever it is available with a red ball, what has turned out to be a long, repeatable action after all and a pace bowler’s guile, which keeps him and England in the game even if pitch and weather are not in his favour.

Botham took his 383rd Test wicket in 1992 in his 100th Test (Getty)

It has proved an enduring package, a banker for a succession of England captains who have all happily paid tribute along the way to the man most likely to get them a wicket when they need one most.

Anderson has formed a record-breaking partnership with Stuart Broad, a more mercurial talent whose wickets tend to come in fits and starts rather than as a steady, reliable stream.

In partnership, they helped to win three successive Ashes series and merit dual mention in the same breath as Botham and Bob Willis – or Fred Trueman and Brian Statham – before them.

Anderson, four years Broad’s senior, is more than 100 Test wickets ahead of his pace partner and, even after their miserable World Cup this winter, has performed well enough with the white ball too to be England’s leading wicket-taker already across all formats. He has cited the ambition of topping 400 Test victims when questioned in recent times.

He has already replaced Botham as statistically the best in English Test history and therefore entered the top 10 all-time list of the world’s most successful seamers.

It has been a long road, though, from the bit-part years of 2004 to 2007. His progress stalled under the tenure of Duncan Fletcher and bowling coach Troy Cooley, and it was not until the summer of 2007 under a new regime that he was truly fit for purpose again.

Anderson prefers to be James away from his England requirements, but in the middle he is most definitely “Jimmy”. They are contrasting personalities.

James is probably the truer self, diffident and awkward even now in public, but polite and evidently well-meaning too.

Jimmy is anything but, the snarling aggressor who ramps up the confrontation with batsmen to perform at his optimum and upset opposing concentration.

It was Jimmy who reportedly contributed at least his fair share in his set-to with Ravindra Jadeja at Trent Bridge last summer; then, of course, it was James who had to deal with the consequences as the International Cricket Council conducted a disciplinary inquiry at India’s behest.

Anderson, then, is an enigmatic and rich mix. However, it is how he rouses himself to bowl at his best, though the results are now deservedly beyond compare.