Ben Stokes fears the end of England’s Anderson-Broad era: ‘I don’t want to think about it’

Stokes hailed Anderson as a ‘gift’ to English cricket ahead of his return to the team alongside Broad in the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford on Thursday

James Anderson trains in Manchester as Ben Stokes looks on (PA)

James Anderson will almost certainly be taking the field in an Ashes Test match at the ground he has called home for Lancashire since his first-class debut 21 years ago for the last time when the highly anticipated fourth Test gets underway on Thursday.

Such is his position as a stalwart of the county that at some point during the Test he will start his run up from the James Anderson End.

There is no Old Trafford Test match in the next home Ashes series in 2027, and in eight years time, it is not a stretch to say Anderson will no longer be playing Test cricket.

Ben Stokes has recalled the bowler, who turns 41 later this month, on merit. This is a player with more wickets in Tests as a fast bowler than anyone else, and the captain hailed his “gift” to the English game.

“He should be an inspiration to up and coming bowlers about what you can achieve in a career if you look after yourself, to still be doing what he’s doing at 40 years old,” Stokes said. “I think over the last six or seven years his stats have got better every year. He’s just an amazing performer. He's been an incredible gift to English cricket, as has Broady (Stuart Broad) as well.

“I don’t want to think about the day when we don’t have them any more walking out, representing England, but they’re going to be two big shoes to fill. As well, still having them in the dressing room for the young bowlers we’ve got coming through, I think is just an amazing experience for those guys.”

Anderson and Broad first played together in New Zealand in 2008, and 15 years later in the same country, they cemented their status as the most prolific bowling duo – in terms of wickets taken in games they have played together.

Stuart Broad, left, continues to be a thorn in Australia’s side (David Davies/PA) (PA)

The record broken was not one to be sniffed at, it was previously held by Glenn McGrath and the great Shane Warne of Australia, who took 1,001 wickets in matches both were playing in.

England have spoken of a desire for fast, bouncy wickets, but the rain hovering west of the Pennines in the build up to the game is likely to affect the pitch and perhaps make it more conducive to seam bowling.

Stokes has backed his most experienced duo, although all of the England bowling attack is now over 33 years old, to succeed with England needing to win and 2-1 down in the series with two Test matches left.

“They’re just really good. They obviously practise, but they’ve done enough of it that it’s very controlled,” the England captain said of Anderson and Broad. “I think the competition and the battle of actually playing cricket obviously brings just the best out of them.

“I don’t think I’ve seen two bowlers of their age want to be the person in the crucial moments with the ball. You know, even Broady was a little bit under the weather last week, but he didn’t make a big deal of it, cracked on and just kept on running in ball after ball. And you know those two I think are just an absolute credit to English cricket.”