James Anderson says his pace colleague Stuart Broad has been “phenomenal” in the last two matches against the West Indies and has “a very good chance” of surpassing him as England’s highest wicket-taker in Tests.

The 34-year-old Broad, who was dropped from the opening Test in Southampton, reached the milestone of 500 wickets when he dismissed Kraigg Brathwaite on the final day of the deciding third Test, here at Old Trafford.

Broad became the fourth fast bowler to pick 500 wickets in the game’s longest format after Glenn McGrath, Courtney Walsh and Anderson.

The 37-year-old Anderson said his fellow pacer is an inspiration. “The way Stuart has bowled in the past two games has been phenomenal, and an absolute credit to himself and the work he has put in over the past few years,” Anderson told Sky Sports.

“I don’t think either of us are that fussed by the wickets tally. We love bowling together in Tests, we have a really good understanding and bowl well when the other guy is at the other end.”

Dropped from the series opener, Broad came back strongly in the second and third Tests. “There’s a very good chance he will get more wickets than me if he carries on like this. I heard him say the other day as to why he can’t carry on until he’s my age, and that’s absolutely true. He’s in great shape,” Anderson said.

According to Anderson, Broad looked “lethal” with his seaming deliveries in the final Test. “He’s getting the ball to shape away again, and we’ve seen how lethal he is with that wobbly seam that nips back.

“Obviously, he was disappointed in Southampton. It felt like he’s had a real point to prove, and he has proved that.”