Arise Sir James Anderson, the finest swing bowler ever

Agree that the benchmark is Marshall and Hadlee, although Hadlee's leg cutter was what really stood him apart from the crowd (which isn't swing...) so Marshall is the benchmark if you are talking swingers

I think poor Jimmy would be very embarrassed by this call, not because of modesty rather because of the shame of being the leader of a bowling attack that allowed a number 11 to score 95 of a last wicket stance of over 140. As records go this one smashed the previous one by a long way and would never have happened if Mr Anderson was agood as you say. I loved watching Malcolm Marshall even at the expense of my struggling countrymen but for mine there was no better delivery than a Wasim Akram inswinging yorker.

Anderson takes wickets in England when his teammates have ample lollies and the wobbly Duke. Take him overseas and he is ordinary. Lillee, Marshal, Akram, Sobers and Sir Richard would head a cast of a hundred better test bowlers.

Indeed Alderman's two Ashes tours were mighty impressive. That said - and though he's clearly not in the class of the great '80s and early '90s seam bowlers - Anderson's a more successful, consistent attack leader than Alderman ever was and right now there's none better other than Steyn.

Outrageous. Wasim Akram Kapil Dev Waqar Younis and Terry Alderman were much better. Bear in mind the majority of Andersons wickets are taken at home with the Duke Ball in swing friendly conditions while All the bowlers mentioned did it home and away including in the subcontinent on turning dustbowls. This article is highly biased and not well thought through.

I think you could have been having a laugh there, Johnno. Sorry, could "of" been having a laugh. Alan Mullally took 58 wickets for England in 19 Tests over six seasons. One of the greats, for sure. Nice bloke, though. I met him at a New Year's Eve party in Sydney during the 1998-99 Ashes tour. Duncan Spencer? Eh?

Neither of them did individually, though Anderson played 5 Tests to Tremlett's 3, so the former probably had a bigger impact.

Alan Mullaly and Duncan spencer were deeply talanted bowlers who could of been great english bowlers.

Chris Tremlett won England the Ashes in 2010 not Anderson.

While we are on the subject of English bowlers quirky old Andy Caddick has remarkably similar figures to Ando. I think the admirable thing about Ando is that he puts the ball up there to swing and dares the batsman to go him. Barring injury he will likely be England's leading wicketaker but will not approach strike rate and average.

Give me Dale Steyn over Anderson any day for a modern equivelent. Faster, more agressive, far better strike-rate and average.

Anderson best swing bowler ???????????? Whaaaaaaaaat??????????????? There is only one class batsman in the West Indian side, Shivnarine Chanderpaul. The guy faced 425 balls as he often does. Many of the deliveries were from Anderson. And he was easily played out. So how is he the best? A good bowler but not great. Surely not the best

Devon Malcom on his day was much much faster than Anderson, had more reverse swing than Anderson, extremely moor bounce than Anderson, a better yorker than Anderson, and much much more frightening and intimidating than Anderson.

I'd pay a fit Fraser (all too rare) or Dilley over Anderson, but perhaps not Gough who was quite decent though.

I like that the only evidence provided in support of this ridiculous claim is that you're old.

Malcolm Marshall and Richard Hadley. Best IMO

To be honest I rate Angus Fraser on a good day over James Anderson. Fraser had to carry and England team on his own. Anderson, has had Flintoff,SImon jones,harmison, hoggard,broad, Bresnan,Onions, FInn, and the high class Tremlett helping him not to mention Swan. And the late Grahame Dilley was also a special bowler on his day , and Darren Gough i rate higher than anderson too and he could swing it too.

Anderson's not a seam bowler. I agree up to a point though - he's no Trueman. I think Jimmy's more like the 70s English bowlers Chris Old and Mike Hendrick, who could also swing the ball, but generally either pitched it too short or made it swing too much to actually be in danger of cleaning up. Broad, though, definitely benefits from having Anderson at the other end - the batsman relaxes for a split-second and he's gone.

Over what sort of period - 6 months? Johnson flickered briefly and then his massive technical limitations came to the fore; no upward curve, that's for sure. Anderson's improved massively and Johnson's not his rear end.

Spare us all please. Just want England to lose the number 1 ranking just so I can get a bit of piece and quiet.