England’s James Anderson picks up 30th five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka

Dubai: England’s James Anderson picked his 30th five-wicket haul in Test cricket as he moved to sole sixth position among cricketers with most five-wicket hauls.

The right-arm England pace bowler, who was tied with Glenn McGrath in joint sixth position with 29 five-wicket hauls before this Test, removed Niroshan Dickwella for his fifth wicket in the Sri Lankan first innings during the second Test between the two teams at the Galle International Stadium.

He then got rid of Suranga Lakmal to get his sixth wicket of the innings. Anderson had taken three of the four Sri Lankan wickets to fall on the first day.

He removed centurion Angelo Mathews early on second day, in just his first over of the morning. The former Sri Lanka captain edged one behind to wicket-keeper Jos Buttler.

Anderson is the fourth highest wicket-taker in Test cricket and the best among pace bowlers with 606 scalps. The 38-year-old pace bowler needs 14 more to get past leg-spinner Anil Kumble as the third highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.

Among pace bowlers, only Richard Hadlee has more five-wicket hauls (36) than Anderson in Test cricket.

Anderson returned his best figures of 6-40 in Asia but Sri Lanka put up a challenging 381 on day two of the second Test on Saturday. Dilruwan Perera was the last man out on 67 as the hosts, who trail the two-Test series 1-0 and resumed the day on 229-4, were bowled out in an extended second session and tea was taken in Galle.