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The five oldest cricketers James Anderson played international cricket with

Oldest players Jimmy Anderson has played with
by Wisden Staff 3 minute read

Since making his international debut back in 2002, Jimmy Anderson has played alongside a spate of England cricketers. Let us take a look at the five oldest players Anderson has taken the field with.

Alec Stewart, 57 years & 306 days

Unsurprisingly, Alec Stewart is at the top of the oldest players Anderson has played with. The former England skipper made his international debut back in 1989, when Anderson was just seven years old. They still played 21 games together, which is an ode to the longevity and talent of the duo.

Stewart’s final match with Anderson, and for England, came against South Africa at the Oval in 2003. Stewart is 35 years older than Sam Curran, the youngest England cricketer to play alongside Anderson.

Nasser Hussain, 52 years & 317 days

The first of 12 England captains Anderson has played under through his career. Hussain first captained Anderson all the way back in 2002 before resigning from the role a year later and eventually retiring from the game in 2004. On Anderson’s debut in 2002 – a heavy ODI defeat away to Australia – Anderson’s sole scalp was that of Adam Gilchrist.

Andy Caddick, 52 years & 79 days

There was a 14-year age gap between Anderson and his new-ball partner Caddick during the former’s breakout World Cup performance in 2003, when a young Anderson took 4-29 against Pakistan at Cape Town. His four wickets that day? Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf and Rashid Latif.

Martin Bicknell, 52 years & 25 days

Bicknell, a wicket-taking titan at domestic level largely ignored by England, was recalled to the England side in 2003 at the age of 34 where he shared new-ball duties with a 21-year-old Anderson. Ed Smith, England’s current national selector, made his Test debut in the same game. Bicknell made his own England debut in 1990, when Anderson was just eight years old.

Shaun Udal, 51 years & 327 days

Like Bicknell, Udal was another who reappeared on the international scene in his mid-30s after a decade-long absence. On this occasion, Udal was recalled for England’s winter tours of Pakistan and India in 2005/06. Udal’s final England appearance came in a famous England win at Mumbai, a game in which Anderson took figures of 4-40 in India’s second innings.

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