The stage was set for James Anderson, but the scene was stolen by Gus Atkinson.
Anderson, making his 187th and final Test appearance, received a huge ovation from a packed Lord's, then opened the bowling against a callow West Indies batting line-up put in to bat under overcast skies in the first Test.
But the veteran, needing nine wickets to surpass Shane Warne on the all-time Test list, went wicketless in that opening five-over spell, then saw the rookie, who replaced him at the Pavilion End, take a wicket with his second ball in Test cricket.