ENGLAND’S record-breaking number 11 James Anderson admits his career-best knock against India on Saturday was such a surprise he did not know how to celebrate his half-century.

Anderson, who had never before reached 50 in any competitive match, including club cricket, scored 81 as he and Joe Root put on 198 – the highest tenth-wicket stand in Test history.

Root’s unbeaten 154 would usually have been the star showing of the day but, with a batting average of just over ten and a previous best of 34, Anderson was a revelation.

His reaction when reaching 50 was muted to say the least, but that is because the 31-year-old was out of his comfort zone.

“Joe came down the wicket and said ‘milk it’ but I didn’t really know what that meant so I just sort of did the rounds with the bat,” he said.

“I’ve seen people point at the dressing room so I did that as well but that was it.

“I did think if I was ever going to get 50 it would be a wicket like this.”

Anderson is no stranger to rearguard efforts, but they usually tend to involve hanging on for grim life without any attempt to build a score of his own.

He memorably achieved the feat alongside Monty Panesar to save a draw in the first match of the 2009 Ashes and was close to pulling off an even more unlikely rescue job against Sri Lanka at Headingley last month.

In the latter he was dismissed by the penultimate ball of the match, costing England the series, and that was still fresh in the mind as he reflected on a very different type of innings.

“Obviously it was disappointing at Headingley, you do have those moments but they make you want to cherish these ones all the more,” Anderson said.

“I have had a few triumphs with the bat but I’m a number 11 and not a lot is expected of my batting: that’s not why I’m in the team.

“But I’ve have had some success in the past grinding out draws. I maybe haven’t had the runs but i’ve had to do certain jobs for the team.

“I had really good fun today.

It’s probably the first time I’ve really enjoyed batting.”

The fun and games as Anderson and Root tortured the touring bowlers ultimately proved something of a distraction from a game that headed irrevocably for a flat finish.