England pace spearhead James Anderson is the greatest English player of all time, feels off-spinner Dom Bess.

Anderson, England's highest Test wicket-taker, claimed his 598th victim during the third Test against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl on Sunday.

Only spin legends Muttiah Muralitharan (800) of Sri Lanka, Australia's Shane Warne (708) and India's Anil Kumble (619) have more wickets in the game's longest format. Anderson is within two wickets of becoming the first pace bowler to claim 600 Test wickets.

"He's the GOAT of bowling and England's greatest," Bess said of Anderson as quoted by Sky Sports.

"It's phenomenal to stand at a point and watch him nick people off, hit people on the shins and take as many poles as he does, so consistently.

"There was a chat about a potential retirement recently then he comes back and absolutely tears it up. It just shows how good he is," he added.

Play was stopped yesterday because of bad light before Pakistan could bat again after being asked to follow-on and Bess suggested that the players should have come off sooner.

"Playing in those conditions, we have to think a little about the players' well-being. Their numbers 10 and 11 facing Jofra Archer in those conditions is seriously dangerous," Bess said.

"We all want to get cricket on, but there has to be a little more common sense in terms of when it is too dark," he added.

England scored 583/8 declared in their first innings. Pakistan in reply scored 273 runs, riding on an unbeaten 141 from skipper Azhar Ali..