DAVID Brown says there is no telling what more James Anderson can achieve, after the former Burnley bowler was crowned the world’s best this week.

Anderson, whose cricketing roots are at Turf Moor, became the most successful pace bowler in Test history, surpassing Glenn McGrath’s tally of 563 wickets when he claimed the final wicket of the Oval Test against India on Tuesday, and in doing so secured a 4-1 series win for England.

The cricketing world took to social media to congratulate the 36-year-old, including Australian McGrath himself and legendary India batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

Anderson now sits on fourth in the overall rankings on 564 Test wickets, with just the spin trio of Anil Kumble, Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan ahead of him.

But with Brown believing his good friend and old Burnley team-mate Anderson can go on for at least another two years, he feels the pace ace will ultimately establish a record that will never be matched by any other seam bowler.

“I think he will keep going for quite a while yet,” said the former Gloucestershire and Glamorgan man, who returned to his Lancashire League roots with Burnley after retiring from county cricket.

“If he plays for another two or three years, which I feel he can, he is going to have 650-700 wickets if he keeps bowling like he is.

“I know records are there to be broken, but I don’t think that would be beaten by anyone.”

He added: “As an average bowler myself I know how hard bowling is.

“To be able to do that, at the highest level well in week out, is a pretty amazing feat.

“But he is bowling as well as he has ever bowled. Not even his fitness or performance are declining, which makes him a bit of a freak to be able to bowl at that age, with that pace and that skill and still want to do it.”

Of Anderson’s latest record breaking moment, Brown added: “It’s amazing. You get a bit normalised to him doing what he has done. It’s only when you take a step back and start seeing tweets from Glenn McGrath and Sachin Tendulkar that you realise what an unbelievable achievement it is.

“It’s not far off 20 years since we played together for Burnley, so it is a long time ago and it feels it.

“But I also still remember it very vividly. That’s when it’s surreal, when you think back to those days.

“It was obvious he was going to have a career in cricket, but if someone had told me then that he would get 564 Test wickets and counting, as much talent as he had it’s hard to predict that he would go on and do so well.”

But Brown feels one of Anderson’s greatest strengths is that fame and his cricketing prowess have not changed him.

“Obviously everyone changes from 16 to 36, but he is still quite a grounded person and still in touch with quite a few of the lads, and whenever he isn’t touring or playing we get together and have a game of golf,” he explained.

“He isn’t a ‘big-time Charlie’, he’s pretty much the same lad.

“The last two years he has played in our President’s Day, which has been brilliant. He comes to have a few beers with all the lads he has played with and It’s great for the club because a lot of people come down to see him, kids come and have their photos taken with him and he’s done a couple of coaching sessions.

“We’re very lucky and appreciative of him putting that time in because he’s got a young family and he’s away a lot with cricket.

“He can’t make it this year as he’s working at (T20 Blast) Finals Day with Lancashire being there.

“But he has done a lot for us. He has sponsored the club for many years on the shirts and he is certainly still very much part of the fabric of the club.”

But Brown says Anderson’s impact stretches beyond Turf Moor.

“He is an amazing role model, not just for Burnley Cricket Club but for the town as well,” he said. He’s probably our greatest sportsman.”

“The club are just delighted for him.

“We couldn’t be prouder of everything he has achieved and the bloke he is.”