Weather update ahead of James Anderson's farewell Test against West Indies

The weather forecast for the 1st Test between England and West Indies at Lord's Stadium, London, casts a shadow over James Anderson's farewell match, scheduled to begin on 10th July, Wednesday.

The latest report indicates challenging conditions throughout the five days of play, with cloudy skies persisting and showers expected, particularly in the evening and late-night periods. Winds from the east-northeast are set at 11 km/h, with gusts reaching up to 28 km/h.

The forecast predicts significant rainfall totaling 12.6 mm over five hours, with a high probability of rain at 96%. There's also a slight chance of thunderstorms, with a 19% likelihood, and cloud cover is anticipated to be around 69%.

Legendary pacer James Anderson, poised to play his farewell Test, may face the disappointment of limited opportunities to bowl due to the inclement weather. Currently, Anderson is only 9 wickets away from surpassing Shane Warne to become the second-highest wicket-taker in Tests.

Reflecting on his retirement, Anderson expressed his sentiments:

"I feel like I'm still bowling as well as I ever have, but, I knew it had to end at some point. Whether it's now or in a year or two. The fact it's now is something I've got to deal with and accept. The last couple of months I've made peace with that. I can completely understand the decision and the way the team and management want to go. I'd love just to be able to contribute somehow this week. Whether it's one wicket or whatever it is, I'd love just to make a small contribution and win the game," Anderson said.

As anticipation builds for the match, both England and West Indies have finalized their Playing XI for the Lord's Test:

England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson

West Indies Playing XI: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Kevin Sinclair, Alzarri Joseph (vc), Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie.