"Wasn’t planning on downing a pint on the balcony" - James Anderson recalls his final Test at Lord's

Retired England cricketer James Anderson recently recalled himself gulping down a whole pint of beer at the Lord's Cricket Ground's balcony while acknowledging the crowd following his final Test which he hadn't planned. Anderson admitted that he didn't know what to expect in his final Test, but was amazed by the reception he received.

The first Test of the ongoing summer against the West Indies proved to be Anderson's last as the 42-year-old made a whopping 188 appearances in the format. He also finished with a record 704 scalps and now serves as a bowling mentor for England.

Speaking to The Daily Mail, the veteran recalled how incredible the environment was. He narrated:

"I wasn’t planning on downing a pint on the balcony. But I just wanted to go out and see what the outfield looked like, it was incredible. I didn't really know what to expect going into that week, but to see the size of the crowds there, and the reaction that I got walking through the long room, I was amazed and delighted with how that Test went. It was really an amazing few days and just a special occasion, especially with my family and friends there."

The Englishman said his role from a player to mentor hasn't been difficult to adjust to, given he had already been serving as one to the youngsters for a long time. He said:

"I found the switch relatively straightforward, because it’s probably been my job for the last 10 or so years, being a senior bowler in the team and helping the other guys by leading the attack on the field and also trying to help new guys settle in. It's always nice to win Test matches, and I still get a lot of satisfaction out of being part of it."

England skipper Ben Stokes had underlined how much they will miss the veteran on the field, but feels the dressing room is nevertheless bolstered by his presence.

"I definitely think we have a good chance" - James Anderson on Ashes

With England set to tour Australia for the Ashes next year, Anderson sees plenty of promise, given their depth on all fronts. On this, he said:

"I definitely think we have a good chance. There’s plenty of depth on the bowling front and the important thing is to cover as many bases as possible. Shoaib Bashir has been brilliant on the spin front and Jack Leach, who unfortunately has missed out this summer so far, has got a wealth of experience as a second spinner.

"And then the seamers, it's trying to get a balance of pace and skill as well. You still need to have good skills going out to somewhere like Australia."

The 42-year-old observed how much assistance the pitches offered the last time they toured Australia and underlined the need for consistency. He said:

"Last time, we saw the pitches were quite seamer friendly and moved around a bit. So you need to be consistent with your lines and lengths, as well as having the ability to bowl quick and it feels like there's a really nice balance and a bit of everything."

England last won a Test Down Under in 2011.