James Anderson achieves an unprecedented record against South Africa

James Anderson / Source: Twitter

Whenever England's old horse James Anderson comes to bowl, records just tumble. The age-defying English seamer was at it again when he made his record 100th appearance in the Test match at home. 

Anderson, on Saturday (August 27) became just the first English pacer to complete 100 Test wickets against South Africa. The England great accomplished the unprecedented record in just 28 matches. 

The Nottinghamshire pacer and Anderson's partner-in-crime Stuart Broad is third in the tally of the top five wicket-takers against the Proteas nation with 82 wickets in 24 matches. 

Top Five Wicket-Takers For England vs South Africa

• James Anderson: 100 Wickets (28 matches)
• Sydney Barnes: 83 Wickets (7 matches) 
• Stuart Broad: 82 Wickets (24 matches)
• Brian Statham: 69 Wickets (16 matches)
• Colin Blythe: 59 Wickets (10 matches) 

As long as the match is concerned, England registered a comprehensive victory by an innings and 85 runs over South Africa in the second Test inside three days to level the three-match series 1-1.

Anderson picked three wickets in the first inning to wreck the South African batting line up and he followed it with another stellar bowling performance in the second inning where he ended up picking another three-wicket haul. 

The 40-year-old relentless and ruthless paceman also became the highest wicket-taker pacer in international cricket eclipsing Australian legend Glenn McGrath. While Anderson now has 951 wickets in 533 innings, McGrath finished with 949 scalps from 493 innings. 

James Anderson, who made his debut in 2003 is among the top three fast bowlers to have featured in more than 150 Tests with Stuart Broad (158) and Jacques Kallis (166) being the other two. 

The bowling great will be seen in the whites again when England takes on South Africa in the third and deciding Test, set to be played at Kennington Oval, London from Thursday, September 8. 

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