Lancashire, November 13
Seasoned former England speedster James Anderson has signed a new one-year contract, extending his 25-year-long playing career with Lancashire Cricket. Under his contract with the Red Rose, Anderson will feature in both the Rothesay County Championship and the Vitality Blast.
The 43-year-old bid adieu to international cricket in 2024 with a record-shattering tally of 704 Test wickets across 188 appearances, the second-most matches after the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Even though Anderson remained out of England's white-ball plans, he still remains the highest ODI wicket-taker for the country with a tally of 269.
He pulled the curtain down on his glorious international career against the West Indies in July at the 'Home of Cricket', Lord's, in 2024. It was the same venue where Anderson made his debut against Zimbabwe as a 20-year-old in May 2003.
Recently, Anderson was knighted for his services to cricket and received the honour in a ceremony at Windsor Castle last month. Anderson made his debut for Lancashire in 2001, claiming 17 dismissals in six County Championship appearances at an average of 24.
The decorated quick made a remarkable impact during his return to the Vitality Blast last season. While playing his first matches in the competition for more than a decade, Anderson took 14 wickets at an economy rate of just 6.9, helping Lancashire Lightning to reach Finals Day.
Anderson, who crossed 300 career appearances in first-class cricket last summer and currently has 1,143 wickets in the format, expressed his desire to prolong his career in county cricket.
"I'm absolutely delighted to sign for another year with Lancashire. This Club has been my home since I was a teenager, and I still get the same buzz walking out at Emirates Old Trafford that I did when I made my debut. I've really enjoyed my cricket this year and still feel like I've got plenty to offer," Anderson said as quoted from a statement by Lancashire Cricket.
"I'm as hungry as ever to perform and contribute to the team's success across both red and white ball cricket. We've got a really talented squad with great ambitions, and I'm looking forward to helping the group continue to develop, while supporting Crofty in his new role as we push for promotion and trophies in 2026," Anderson concluded.
"We're thrilled that Jimmy has committed to another season with Lancashire. His performances in 2025 showed exactly why he remains one of the finest bowlers in the game - his skill and competitiveness on the field are unmatched. Jimmy continues to be an outstanding role model for our players, raising standards every day, and it was brilliant to see the impact he made on the dressing room when he stepped into the County Championship captaincy role during the second half of last season," Director of Cricket Performance, Mark Chilton, said.
"In addition to the consistency of his red ball performances, for Jimmy to come in from the cold in terms of T20 cricket and play such an effective role in our Vitality Blast campaign at 43 years of age was remarkable. Having him continue with us into 2026 is fantastic news for our Members and supporters and a huge boost for everyone at Emirates Old Trafford ahead of next season," Chilton added.
- ANI
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