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Age and injuries have been insufficient roadblocks as James Anderson has set another stratospheric benchmark, unlikely to ever be beaten.

There are few other sportspeople that have given Father Time such a run for their money than the evergreen swing king, who aged 41 years and 223 days and in his 23rd year as an international fast bowler has just bagged his 700th Test wicket in England’s fifth Test against India in Dharamsala.

Only Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and the late Shane Warne (708) have more but Anderson is out of sight among non-spinners and may never be toppled, with closest challenger Stuart Broad retiring last year.

It is doubtful Anderson would be where he is without Broad, who owes just as much of his success to the Lancastrian. The pair are indelibly linked and their partnership fits comfortably alongside McGrath-Warne, Wasim-Waqar and Walsh-Ambrose as one of the best of all-time.

There are those who seek to downplay their achievements, that their records are gilded in home conditions with more modest successes overseas. But statistics can obscure the bigger picture and Anderson was instrumental in England’s two greatest away victories in a generation.

Sir Alastair Cook took the plaudits with his insatiable appetite for runs in the 2010/11 Ashes but the leading wicket-taker was Anderson, whose immaculate control and key breakthroughs led to him being described as “the major difference” by Mahendra Singh Dhoni when England beat India in 2012 in a series where all other quicks floundered.

Sir Ian Botham’s 383 wickets are long since in the rear view mirror and much like the great all-rounder’s fine wines, Anderson kept getting better with age. Since his 30th birthday he has taken 432 wickets at 24.13 while that average sinks to a scarcely believable 22.86 after turning 35.

Rewind to December 2002, the start of his life with England, and Anderson was a terrorising paceman who swung the ball round corners and possessed immaculate seam control. He made an impression in the 2003 World Cup before taking a five-for on Test debut against Zimbabwe later that year.

His career stalled over the next few years, partly because well-meaning coaches attempting to iron out kinks in his action to prevent stress fractures in his back had the unintended consequence of inducing stress fractures in his back.

He filtered out the bad advice and after being in and out of the side, his and Broad’s inclusion in New Zealand in March 2008 marked a changing of the guard as Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison were ushered out.

The connection was not instantaneous and England had to bide their time, but they struck up a union that brought four Ashes series victories between 2009 and 2015 during a golden period in which they also climbed to the top of the Test rankings between 2011 and 2012.

As Anderson’s career has progressed, so too has his meticulous planning to his craft. As his speeds dropped, he focused on a metronomic line and length to constrain batters although he was still capable of producing the odd ‘magic ball’. That was evidenced with his 500th Test scalp as he pegged back the middle stump of West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite in 2017 en route to career best figures of seven for 42 at Lord’s.

Afterwards, Anderson admitted to feeling “not quite teary but emotional” – a break from his more natural sullen and occasionally grumpy demeanour.

Apart from one heated confrontation with India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in 2014, that hostility was self-contained. Anderson is a more self-effacing and thoughtful character off the field and channels his temper in more productive fashion.

He was part of the England side that reached the 2013 Champions Trophy final but his white-ball career ended two years later after the World Cup omnishambles. Although Anderson never actually retired, he was deemed surplus to requirements even if no other Englishman can better his 269 ODI wickets.

The decision elongated Anderson’s red-ball career. He went on to top the Test bowling rankings on a couple of occasions, breaching the 900-point barrier a few days after he passed 100 wickets at Lord’s in August 2018 – the first paceman to take a century at a single venue. A month later he surpassed Glenn McGrath’s 563 wickets to become Test cricket’s most successful fast bowler.

A chronic shoulder injury, which was a factor in great rival Dale Steyn’s retirement, has impacted his daily routine to such an extent that even just brushing his teeth can prove a burden.

Recurring calf complaints meant he missed almost all of the 2019 Ashes while a broken rib sidelined him after a stellar showing at Cape Town that winter but Anderson remained unbowed through it all.

Being left out of England’s post-Ashes tour of the West Indies in 2022 brought fresh speculation Anderson might finally call it quits but he predictably came back with a vengeance and seems rejuvenated under the leadership of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

Despite the combination of a poor 2023 Ashes and Broad heading for the hills, Anderson keeps going and has finally joined the 700 club. Warne may now be in his sights – after that, who knows?

A report into the portrayal of mothers in television which was supported by the Duchess of Sussex has been published.

Meghan and her Archewell Foundation were credited with supporting the report released on Thursday ahead of International Women’s Day, which called on the industry to “more fully develop the characterisation of motherhood”.

The report, titled Rewriting Motherhood: How TV Represents Moms and What We Want To See Next, looked at scripted television programs from 2022 that featured mothers.

It comes as the duchess is set to appear as a panellist for a discussion about women in the media and entertainment industries at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas, on Friday.

Speaking about the report, Meghan said: “My past experience as an actress, and now today as a producer and mother, have amplified my belief in the critical importance of supporting women and moms both behind the lens and in front of it.

“This report about the portrayal of mothers in entertainment highlights the gaps we need to fill to achieve true representation in the content we create and consume, and I’m honoured to support this work through the Archewell Foundation.”

Meghan appeared in a series of TV acting roles before her 2018 marriage to Harry, the Duke of Sussex, with her most well-known role being Rachel Zane in the American legal drama, Suits.

She is a mother herself to two children with Harry, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and the family lives in California.

Some of the findings in the report included that TV mothers did not seem to have the same concerns about their physical appearance as those in real life.

Another said everyday sacrifices made by mothers for their children were often missing from their depictions on TV.

The other collaborators on the report were Moms First and the Geena Davis Institute.

The Archewell Foundation, a non-profit organisation, was co-founded by the duke and duchess in 2020.

Last month, the couple launched their new website “Sussex.com”, which stated: “The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, is shaping the future through business and philanthropy.

“This includes: the Archewell Foundation, Archewell Productions, patronages, ventures, and organisations which receive the support of the couple, individually and/or together.”

Ben Stokes declared “write this team off, write me off at your own peril” after his England side ended their tour of India with an abject defeat inside three days in Dharamsala.

James Anderson becoming the third bowler and first non-spinner to reach 700 Test wickets on Saturday was relegated to secondary status by England’s meek batting display as they lost by an innings and 64 runs.

A fourth successive defeat and seventh in 12 Tests was confirmed within just eight sessions of play, with England on a downward slide after winning 10 of their first 11 under Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

The duo’s methods have come under scrutiny during a 4-1 series defeat and Stokes has underperformed, averaging 19.9 with the bat, but the England captain was bullish about his team’s future prospects.

“Not just myself but the team are big enough to say we’ve been completely outplayed in the last four games,” Stokes said. “I’m always man enough to say we got beaten by the better team.

“Failure is a great teacher to sports teams. You either let failure and disappointment eat you up and shoot you down or you learn from failure and you make sure you don’t lose the enthusiasm of what we do.

“This series shouldn’t affect anything we’ve managed to achieve before this tour. It’s the first time, particularly these last four games, that this team has been dominated pretty much the whole time.

“We will use this as inspiration to become a better team and to become better players. I am obviously disappointed with my performance, but write this team off, write me off at your own peril.”

While Joe Root made 84 before he was last man out, he lacked a useful foil as England were skittled for 195, needing 259 to make India bat again, as Ravichandran Ashwin banked five for 77 on his 100th Test.

England have reached 400 just once in this series – in their famous triumph in Hyderabad in the opener – and what has been billed as an attack-minded mantra under this leadership has been questioned.

“The media name ‘Bazball’ – everyone says, ‘what is it?’ – in my opinion it’s wanting to be a better player,” Stokes said.

“In the face of defeat and failure, ‘Bazball’ will hopefully inspire people to become better players and become even better than what we are.

“I think we’ve done a lot of things right. One thing India have done is stay true to what makes them successful. We have done that but not been able to execute how we’d like to.

“Whenever we managed to wrestle back any type of momentum with the ball or bat, India were always able to then put it back on to us. That was where the Tests after the first one were won and lost.”

Stokes, who played his 100th Test in Rajkot, refused to make any excuses at the end of an anticlimactic few months for England in all formats. As well as this defeat, they were knocked out of the Cricket World Cup at the group stage and lost both ODI and T20 series in the West Indies.

“If we we weren’t disappointed, if we weren’t frustrated at how the series has ended up, I don’t really know what other emotions you could have,” Stokes said.

“Use it as fuel. I always feel like I can’t work any harder, but I’ll come away from this tour and go home and work even harder than what I have done out here for the summer coming up.”

Anderson, with his father in the crowd, finally joined Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne in the 700 club. The 41-year-old spent several months in the 690s but the moment came when Kuldeep Yadav hung out his bat and edged through to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.

“He doesn’t play the game for the milestones, he plays for his team-mates and England,” Stokes added. “He’s just an unbelievable ambassador for the game and in particular fast bowling.

“If someone came up to me and said who should I emulate if I want to be a good fast bowler, the first name I’d say is Jimmy Anderson.”

AMPLEFORTH College will assemble the largest choir in its recent history for a concert to celebrate 50 years of its renowned Schola Cantorum this weekend.

On March 9, at 7pm, 100 singers from the Schola Cantorum, alumni of the College, and the Ampleforth & Ryedale Concert Choir will perform Mozart’s Requiem in the Abbey Church, accompanied by an orchestra of college pupils and professional musicians.

The Schola Cantorum was established in 1970 at the request of the late Cardinal Basil Hume, former teacher at the college, Abbot of Ampleforth, and Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. His aim was to help preserve the singing of music written for the Roman Catholic Church (along with the best examples from other traditions) in the context for which it was written, the celebration of Mass. This remains at the heart of the Schola’s mission in addition to its wider repertoire.

Over its 50-year history, the Schola Cantorum has made multiple recordings and many of its members have gone on to choral scholarships at prestigious universities. This performance of Mozart’s Requiem will include many of its most celebrated former members, whose ranks include professional opera singers, composers, music producers, organists and music journalists.

The choir is also known for its tours to Eastern Europe in the 1970s and 1980s during the time of communism, where it offered hope to Christians under persecution and suppression. This tradition of touring both abroad and in the UK continues today, with the current members of the Schola Cantorum singing at the Vatican during Holy Week 2023, Vigil Mass at Westminster Cathedral in January, Evensong in Ripon Cathedral in February, and Handel’s Messiah in Cadogan Hall in April.

The Ampleforth and Ryedale Concert Choir was established via an initiative by the music department of Ampleforth College and is open to all who live in the local community in Ryedale and beyond. Their ongoing partnership with the Schola Cantorum includes a sell-out performance of Handel’s Messiah every Christmas.

Ampleforth College’s director of music, Edward Seymour, said: “After 50 years, the Schola has remained steadfast in its service to the college, abbey, and local community and in so doing remains one of the greatest assets and draws to the college. We are delighted to be celebrating this anniversary together with all those who join us to hear our magnificent combined choirs. Music will always be the jewel in the Ampleforth crown. May it go from strength to strength.”

Tickets priced £15 or £7.50 for under-25s are available at www.trybooking.com/uk/CYZE.

The Duchess of Sussex said we have lost our sense of humanity on social media, as she recalled the “cruel” comments aimed at her while she was pregnant with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Meghan led a keynote speech on International Women’s Day titled Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On And Off The Screen, alongside speakers including US actress Brooke Shields.

During the annual SXSW Conference, Meghan, 42, said that even though social media sites are “making dollars, it doesn’t make sense”, emphasising the “negative effect” on mental health and physical safety.

When asked how she tackled the “seemingly endless toxicity” aimed at her online, she said: “It is really interesting as I can reflect on it, I keep my distance from it right now for my own wellbeing, but the bulk of the bullying and abuse that I was experiencing on social media and online was when I was pregnant with Archie and with Lili.

“You just think about that and really wrap your head around why people would be so hateful – it is not catty, it is cruel.”

The former Suits actress said she found it “disturbing” that women were “spewing” hatred at each other online, adding: “I cannot make sense of that.”

“If you’re reading something terrible about a woman, why are you sharing it with your friends?” she said.

“Why are you choosing to put it out in the world, what if it was your friend, or your mum or your daughter, you wouldn’t do it.

“I think that is the piece that is so lost right now (with) what is happening in the digital space and in certain sections of the media – we have forgotten about our humanity and that has got to change.”

Meghan said that when she was 11 she wrote to Procter & Gamble and got an advert changed, from saying dishwashing liquid was for women, but for people all over America.

She said: “It’s funny to look back at it now as it was before social media, where you had a reach that was so much greater, it was just an 11-year-old with a pen and paper, but goes to show if you know there is something wrong and you’re using your voice to advocate for what is right, that (can) really land and resonate with people.

“Your voice is not small, it just needs to be heard.”

Shields joked: “This is one of the ways we’re different, when I was 11 I was playing a prostitute,” recalling her starring role in 1978 film Pretty Baby.

During the session, Meghan also emphasised that “representation matters”.

“The key thing that I think needs to be focused on in terms of equity is it’s not a zero-sum game, just because someone else has the same advantage that you do doesn’t mean that you’re losing anything, and actually create an environment that is so inclusive, where people feel as if they have a seat at the table – as they should,” she said.

In an earlier session, Modern Family star Julie Bowen said that the Duke of Sussex was also at the event in Austin, Texas.

Meghan’s appearance comes as the Princess of Wales recovers from abdominal surgery in the UK, and Kate’s maternal uncle, Gary Goldsmith, appears on Celebrity Big Brother.

During his five days on the ITV reality show, Goldsmith told his housemates that Meghan put a “stick in the spokes” when she was first introduced to the royal family, creating “so much drama that I don’t generally think is there”.

The keynote speech was presented by Meghan and Harry’s The Archewell Foundation and The 19th, the national non-profit newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy.