James Anderson and Stuart Broad unveil the new portrait [MCC/Jed Leicester]

THE two top Test wicket-takers at Lord’s have been immortalised on canvas at the iconic cricket ground in St John’s Wood.

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) unveiled a double portrait of James Anderson and Stuart Broad ahead of the Rothesay men’s Test match between England and Pakistan, which got underway in NW8 last Thursday.

The duo have already etched their names into the history books as the best-ever bowlers at the Home of Cricket, with Anderson claiming 123 wickets in 29 matches, while Broad has picked off 113 in 28.

Anderson features on the famous Lord’s Honours Boards no fewer than seven times, whilst Broad is on both the bowling and batting boards. MCC wanted to celebrate the legendary bowling partnership and give a sense of their relationship on and off the pitch. For that challenge, they turned to British portrait artist Jamie Routley RP.

Depicted in their England whites, the artwork is filled with personal iconography, with Anderson’s England cap number of 613, and Broad’s number of 638 both visible.

There’s also a touching nod to family legacy, with the sleeveless jumper worn by Broad in the portrait belonging to his father Chris, who also represented England.

Seeking to capture the intense communication that defined the most successful fast-bowling partnership in Test cricket history, Routley said: “Their partnership was built on a constant exchange of information – tactically, emotionally, and psychologically.

“What we see in the pose is the moment immediately after a conversation has happened. They are connected by a shared purpose and concentration.”