Sports · Cricket · 29 mins ago
Anderson to leave Lancashire after 25 years, but not retire
Anderson is leaving Lancashire after 25 years at the club.
Lancashire declined a new offer from him.
He said that, if the decision had been his, his time at the club would not have ended this way.
Anderson is an England cricket legend.
He says he is not retiring, so leaving Lancashire does not mean the end of his playing career.
The story gives no details about where he will play next.
James Anderson will leave Lancashire when his contract ends this year after the county decided not to offer him a contract for the 2027 season.
The 44-year-old has not confirmed whether he will retire or continue playing for another county.
Anderson said he wished his 25-year spell at his boyhood club had not ended this way.
Lancashire said it wants to rebuild its squad, secure promotion from Division Two and challenge in Division One over the next three to four years.
Anderson took 50 wickets in the 2026 County Championship and was named Lancashire’s Championship player of the year.
- Who
- James Anderson and Lancashire County Cricket Club.
- What
- Anderson will leave Lancashire when his contract ends this year. He has not confirmed whether he will retire or play elsewhere.
- When
- Lancashire informed Anderson of its decision on 19 October, and the news was reported on 25 October 2026.
- Where
- Lancashire’s home ground is Old Trafford, in Manchester.
- Why
- Lancashire said it wants to rebuild its squad, secure promotion from Division Two and challenge in Division One over the next three to four years.
James Anderson
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Contract decision
James Anderson
Anderson said he wished his spell at Lancashire had not ended this way.
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire decided not to extend his contract for the 2027 season as part of its plans to rebuild.
Future plans
James Anderson
Anderson has not confirmed whether he will retire; he had planned to play in summer 2027.
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire said it wants to begin its rebuild now and did not offer him a new contract.
Anderson made his professional debut for Lancashire.
Anderson’s international career ended with his retirement from international cricket.
Lancashire director of cricket Paul Farbrace said he and chief executive Richard Kenyon met Anderson and told him the club would not extend his contract.
Anderson publicly expressed regret about the way his Lancashire spell was ending, and the club announced its decision.
- Lancashire career
- 25 years
- Lancashire debut
- 2001
- First-class wickets for Lancashire
- 443 in 112 appearances
- 2026 Championship wickets
- 50 at an average of 17.68
- Lancashire contract decision
- No extension for the 2027 season
- International Test wickets
- 704 in 188 Tests
7 sources
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What people are saying
If it was up to me it wouldn’t have ended like this, but I wish the players and fans all the best for the future.
As part of those plans, I informed Jimmy that we had taken the incredibly difficult decision not to extend his playing contract for the 2027 season.
Jimmy is without doubt the greatest bowler Lancashire and England have produced.
I’d say most counties in the country would take Anderson, even at the age of 44.