If you'd told me in 2006, that 18 years later I'd consider him one of the best ever I'd have thought you were mad. But he turned into an absolutely fantastic bowler. Been absolutely unbelievable from the age of 26/27, and one of the very very best about from his mid 30s. That's 14/15 years of being absolutely elite, quite ridiculous for a pace bowler really.

In a way I think the way he has been treated over his career says a lot about England's selection policies. What I find a quite silly fetish England seem to have about young bowlers. Anderson in his early years really wasn't good enough on a lot of occasions, but he was young so he was in the team. He's currently one of, if not the best about. Has no plans to retire of his own, yet is being forced out. He may be 41 , but he's fit and he's bowling as well as ever.