Anderson oldest in 87 years to top ICC Test bowlers’ rankings

The remarkable career of James Anderson continues to reach new heights as England quick overtook Australia captain Pat Cummins and India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to become the No.1 ranked bowler on the latest ICC Test Rankings.

Anderson rises to the top on the back of his seven-wicket haul for England during their emphatic 267-run victory over New Zealand in Mount Maunganui last week, with the evergreen 40-year-old ending Cummins' four-year reign as the top-ranked Test bowler.

Perhaps the most remarkable record that Anderson has shattered is that the 40 years and 207 days old became the oldest since 1936 to top the bowlers' ranking in Test match cricket. Australia's Clarrie Grimmett achieved the feat back then when he was aged 44 years and 2 months.

Bert Ironmonger remains the oldest cricketer to be ranked the number 1 Test bowler as the Australian slow left-arm orthodox had become the number 1 bowler aged 50 years and 10 months in February 1933. England's 'Tich' Freeman, aged 41 years 2 months in July 1929 and his compatriot Sydney Barnes, aged 40 years and 9 months in February 1914 are the only cricketers older than Anderson to have ever reached the number 1 Test bowlers' ranking.

It is the sixth time that Anderson has held the title as the premier bowler on the Test rankings, with the right-armer first scaling the heights back in May 2016 when he went past teammate Stuart Broad and Ashwin to hold top billing in a distinguished international career that commenced way back in 2003.

More recently Anderson held on to the top ranking for five months in 2018, with the veteran speedster losing the top spot to South Africa pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada in November of that year.

But the old adage that life begins at 40 certainly rings true for Anderson, who has found a fresh lease of life under new coach Brendon McCullum as England have registered 10 wins from their last 11 Test matches.

Anderson has been a mainstay in the majority of those triumphs and the England legend now has collected a total of 682 Test scalps to be third on the all-time list for Test wickets behind spin duo Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708).

His rise to the top at the spritely age of 40 years and 207 days also means he is the oldest bowler to hold the top ranking since Australian great Clarrie Grimmett did so back in 1936.

Anderson's lead at the top is very slender though, with Ashwin remaining in second place on a total of 864 rating points and just two rating points behind the England pacer.

Cummins drops to third on 858 rating points, but could still regain top billing with some strong performances during Australia's ongoing Test series against India.