Shamar Joseph aims to spoil James Anderson's farewell Test at Lord's

West Indies' fast bowling talent Shamar Joseph has expressed his desire to spoil James Anderson's farewell celebration when they meet England at Lord's in the opening Test of their three-match series.

Anderson, set to retire after this match scheduled from July 10 to 14, holds the record for the most wickets by a fast bowler in Test cricket history.

Speaking to reporters, Joseph praised Anderson as an exceptional player and a role model from his youth.

“He is such an amazing player. Someone I have looked up to. Someone who is very good at this level. You could say he’s perfect because he has a lot of wickets at this level. Definitely, I would want to ruin that farewell for him,” Joseph told reporters on Monday.

He also expressed excitement about playing in England, renowned for its fast bowling conditions.

“I’m excited to be here. England is known for a good fast bowling,” Joseph said.

Joseph reminisced about watching cricket at Lord's, particularly recalling performances by great fast bowlers like Jofra Archer and Mitchell Starc during the Ashes. He hopes to leave his mark at this iconic venue.

“Oh they’re great. Watching a lot of the Ashes with great fast bowlers, Jofra Archer, Mitchell Starc, all the great fast bowlers come out here and do well. that’s something I would want to do as well,” Joseph added.

Joseph gained prominence during West Indies' recent tour of Australia, contributing significantly to their historic victory at the Gabba. He emphasized the importance of maintaining high energy levels from their successful Australia tour, entering the England series with a confident mindset geared towards competing effectively against the hosts.

 “Since our last tour of Australia, we maintain our energy. That’s the mindset we come into this series with (that West Indies can compete against England),” Joseph said.