In the quiet and peaceful corners of Lancashire, where the lush green fields stretch to meet the horizon, the sound of leather striking the stumps echoes softly across the valleys; there lived a young boy with dreams as wide and high as the English sky.

The unfolding scene resembled a timeless 90s story, marking the commencement of a fairytale. All began from a mere phone call, when Valarie Brown, wife of then captain of Burnley CC, Peter Brown, rang John Stanworth asking, “The lads & Peter keep talking about this lad; he’s a bowler. Have you heard of James Anderson?”

So this fairytale began at the same place where it finished its final chapter: Lord’s. Approximately 21 years ago, 20-year-old Jimmy Anderson represented the Three Lions for the first time in the longest format. Like any youngster, he was probably through the emotional turmoil of a debut, as his first over went for seventeen runs – but all’s well that ends well. He ended up dismantling Zimbabwe’s middle order in the second session to finish with 5-73.

You see, sometimes destiny intertwined with a sprinkle of raw talent carves its way to the top. There are often intricate puzzles in life that need their pieces to be assembled to reveal the complete picture. One of the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle was Mrs Brown’s phone call and the entire picture happened to be Jimmy’s stellar career.

Over the time span of 21 years, he has seen it all. Jimmy & England cricket have weathered every storm together. Through the roar of setbacks and the flash of victories, they remained inseparable, their bond forging a legacy that echoed like thunder and lit up the skies like lightning.

His career will be etched in the memory not merely for the volume of wickets in his tally but for his ability to unleash incendiary bowling spells that systematically dismantled the opposition’s batting lineups, be it 7-43 versus New Zealand at Nottingham with Ashes selection hanging on the line – whether or not he makes it to the XI. Or be it 6-17 versus Pakistan in 2010, which also marked his first ten-wicket haul in Test cricket or his match-winning Ashes spell at Trent Bridge in 2013.

What makes Jimmy special and a once-in-a-generation player is not merely his substantial tally of wickets. It’s his pivotal role towards wins both at home and abroad, including in Australia & India, crucial to their ascent in becoming the number one Test side in the world in 2011. It’s his unwavering dedication and his commitment to the game. The urge to become better & better with every single game despite having achieved almost every milestone. In an era where young pace bowlers are plagued with injuries, there’s Jimmy, who stood resolute for 21 years, persevering until almost the age of 42 with very little encounter with injuries throughout his illustrious career.

While his remarkable stats will undoubtedly be remembered, his true aficionados will miss Jimmy running hot, steaming in from the James Anderson end, his fingers delicately poised along the seam of the new ball, gripping the red cherry with precision. His typical grumpy face during all-too-familiar England collapses when he has to buckle up his boots and come out to bat & attempt reverse sweeps at almost every delivery, which also happens to be the only shot in his book – all will be fondly missed. We won’t be hearing “James Anderson bowling from the James Anderson end” anymore. It all came to an end too soon, didn’t it?

Today as I sit here penning this down, Jimmy’s career spans nearly my entire lifetime. While his longevity often is the most highlighted, it’s his dedication and resilience that truly stand out as exemplary for aspiring cricketers. Challenging his statistical achievements will undoubtedly be daunting, but matching his legacy and contributions and the benchmark he has set for fitness standards will be another.

You know you have definitely done something right in life when a packed Lords stadium rises in applause, celebrating as you savor a glass of beer and finally call it a day. As he hangs his boots today, the standards and milestones he has achieved are second to none. His greatness transcends mere words. To stand alone as the only pace bowler in history to have played 188 Test matches with 704 wickets, it’s uncertain whether anyone in the future will come close to this astounding record, let alone surpass it.

His final wicket in international cricket was a typical Jimmy Anderson delivery, the ball angling in and eliciting the late edge. Perhaps it was destined to end just like that – not with a straightforward caught & bowled, which he missed a few moments later. Things were meant to come full circle. Farewell James Michael Anderson, it was an absolute pleasure to watch you practice your craft with unparalleled brilliance. You are one of a kind, and there will never be another quite like you.

The opinions expressed solely belong to the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Grassroots Cricket.