James Anderson says Lancashire's decision to end his contract has left him questioning whether there is "something fundamentally wrong with me as a person". Speaking for the first time since the move, the veteran pace bowler said he had spent the season asking himself and his head coach whether he was doing something wrong, and the news only deepened those doubts.
The decision was taken by incoming director of cricket Paul Farbrace after a meeting with Anderson and chief executive Richard Kenyon. It came despite Anderson's wickets, with the club finishing second bottom in Division Two of the County Championship. England made a similar call in 2024, when they moved on from their record wicket-taker as they looked to refresh their attack for the 2025-26 Ashes in Australia. Former England team-mate Stuart Broad called the decision "pretty disrespectful", arguing it showed a lack of leadership because Anderson was not given a farewell. Lancashire members have also expressed anger.
Anderson, who first played for Lancashire as a 17-year-old in 2000, finished with 911 international wickets, an England record and a record for all pace bowlers. He also took 443 first-class wickets, 83 in List A cricket and 50 in T20s for the county. He said he wanted to end his career at Lancashire and would like the chance to retire at some point. Reports suggest other counties are interested in signing him, and he admitted he "wouldn't have thought" he could one day play for Yorkshire.
Despite the hurt, Anderson said he is starting to feel excited about the future, whether that means a new challenge or more cricket. He remains sad about how things ended with the club he supported as a boy, but he stressed that his bond with Lancashire is special and will never fade.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing