ENGLAND cricket star James Anderson surprised pupils when he paid a visit to his former school in Burnley as part of National Cricket Week.

Anderson, who was recently awarded an OBE after becoming England’s all-time leading wicket-taker in Test cricket, was a guest at Blessed Trinity RC College yesterday morning.

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The 32-year-old’s visit was kept secret from pupils until he walked into the hall, to the delight of the children.

Anderson then took part in a cricket session with pupils and signed autographs, before children waved farewell as he drove off in a van.

The Chance To Shine scheme is aimed at giving schoolchildren across the country more opportunities to play cricket.

“It’s great to be back, although I don’t really recognise the school from when I was here,” said Anderson, who attended the Ormerod Road school in the 1990s under its previous name of St Theodore’s RC High School.

Lancashire Telegraph:

“I didn’t get much opportunity at school to play cricket.

“I was fortunate that my dad was a member at Burnley Cricket Club so I learned there. That’s why this initiative is so good.”

Anderson gave a familiar greeting to PE teacher Neil Stubbs, who taught the cricket star before the turn of the millennium.

“He just said, ‘Oh, sir’s here!’” Mr Stubbs laughed.

“It was absolutely wonderful to see him here.

“He’s done fantastically well.

“He’s a brilliant role model.”

Pupil Max Ingham is a junior with Lowerhouse CC and said: “He’s one of my inspirations, as a bowler I look up to him.

“To see him in person meant a lot.”

Lancashire Telegraph:

Since arriving on the international scene in 2002/03 (before his first full season of County cricket), Anderson has represented England in 100 Test matches and over 160 One-Day Internationals.

He is England’s all-time highest international wicket-taker when combined across all three formats, being the country’s leading wicket taker in Test match and One-Day cricket.

He and Joe Root posted the highest ever tenth-wicket batting partnership in the First Test of India’s 2014 tour of England.