Watch: At Lord’s in 2003, a 20-year-old fast bowler called James Anderson wrecked Zimbabwe with a five-wicket haul on Test debut.
The South Africans were coming to England for the summer for five Test matches, but before that, England were to host Zimbabwe at Lord’s and their newest Test venue, Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street.
At Lord’s, they decided to give out Test caps to a Yorkshire all-rounder, Anthony McGrath and a Lancastrian fast bowler, James Anderson.
In his debut season, in the summer of 2002, Anderson had impressed with 50 wickets at 22.28. He had already played 14 ODIs for England, including five in the 2003 World Cup.
Now, with Andy Caddick injured, the selectors picked him for the Test match. He had his time to ease in, for rain and a damp outfield delayed start of play, and Heath Streak opted to bowl.
England batted until the second evening to amass 472. Mark Butcher batted over six hours for his 137, while debutant McGrath made 69 from No.7.
Matthew Hoggard got the choice of ends. At the other end, Anderson conceded 17 off his first over: there were two no-balls, and Dion Ebrahim picked up three fours and a three off the legitimate deliveries.
But Anderson broke through first, with the third ball of his third over, moving one back in to clean bowl Mark Vermeulen. Dion Ebrahim and Stuart Carlisle took Zimbabwe to a safe-looking 48-1.
Zimbabwe even reached 104-3 the next day before collapsing to 129-6. Then Anderson took over. He castled Streak with a fast yorker, beat Travis Friend’s bat to hit the stumps, had Andy Blignaut edge a slog to the slips, and knocked the off-stump out of the ground to bowl Douglas Hondo.
Having started with 1-0-17-0, Anderson finished with 16-4-73-5 – the best figures by an England debutant in men’s Test cricket since Dominic Cork in 1995.
Zimbabwe crashed to 147. Michael Vaughan asked them to bat again, and they collapsed again on the same day – this time for 233, against the batting heroes, Butcher (4-60) and McGrath (3-16).
